‘Did I hear “Doctor”? Is it the Doctor I have
drawn to me?’ The laugh became more
strident, forcing the Doctor to thrust his
fingers into his ears in panic and close his
eyes, as if here were a frightened child.
The TARDIS has been pulled off course and sent
hurtling through space and time. When it finally
stops, Peri is amazed to witness the Doctor’s
transformation into a cringing coward.
The takeover of the TARDIS by the school bully
from the class of the fourth millenium on
Gallifrey is only the first of the Doctor’s
problems. On the surface of the planet Magnus
more of his old enemies are conspiring to trick
the planet’s all-female rulers; the Doctor and
Peri have to foil a plot to freeze the entire world
and wipe out most of the population.
UK: £2.50 *AUSTRALIA: $5.95
CANADA: $6.25 NZ: $11.95
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*RECOMMENDED RETAIL PRICE
Science Fiction/TV Tie-in
ISBN 0-426-20347-x
,-7IA4C6-cadehg-
DOCTOR WHO
MISSION TO MAGNUS
Based on the BBC television series by Philip Martin by
arrangement with BBC Books, a division of BBC
Enterprises Ltd
PHILIP MARTIN
A TARGET BOOK
published by
the Paperback Division of
W. H. ALLEN & Co PLC
A Target Book
Published in 1990
by the Paperback Division of W.H. Allen & Co. Plc
26 Grand Union Center,
338 Ladbroke Grove London W10 SA11
Novelisation copyright © Philip Martin, 1990
Original script copyright © Philip Martin, 1985
‘Doctor Who’ series copyright © British Broadcasting
Corporation, 1985, 1990
Printed and bound in Great Britain by
Cox & Wymann Ltd, Reading, Berks
ISBN 0 426 20347 x
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not,
by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or
otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent
in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it
is published and without a similar condition including this
condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
1
‘Can’t you stop it, Doctor?’ Peri asked for the umpteenth
time. The Doctor shook his head and watched helplessly as
the column before him reared up and down with
increasing force.
The TARDIS, his beloved travelling device, was out of
control, hurtling inexorably towards an unknown future. It
was an erratic machine at the best of times – its exterior
permanently frozen into the semblance of a 1960s British
police box – but now it seemed finally to have gone
haywire. Nothing the Doctor did to the control console
had any effect on its breakneck plunge through time.
‘On and on, as if we’re being pulled by something!’ the
Doctor said desperately.
Peri shook her head wearily. ‘We’ve been travelling for
days, maybe weeks.’
‘Mere units of time, Peri, days, weeks...’ As well as an
extravagant dress sense, the Doctor’s sixth regeneration
had a tendency to irrelevant abstraction, often driving his
pretty young American companion to sulky frustration.
‘But what’s happening, Doctor?’
‘We seem to be being drawn into the future against our
will.’
‘Well, stop it!’
‘I’ve tried everything.’
‘Try it again!’
The Time Lord flicked a switch on the console and to
his surprise the column stopped abruptly.
‘Doctor...’
‘Shh...!’ The Doctor bent urgently over the location
dials and frowned, making rapid calculations. Finally he
straightened. ‘We’re centuries off course. Forced into an
unknown area of time and space.’
‘How can that be?’ Peri watched the worry remain on
the Doctor’s usually cheerful face. For once his flippant
response to danger was absent.
‘I know of only one circumstance that might allow
TARDIS takeover; switch on the scanner, Peri.’
Dutifully, Peri obeyed, then started with fear as the
screen cleared to reveal the image of a gloomy looking face
with a long nose, the eyes of an angry ferret and wearing a
top hat whose brim was encircled with a purple band of
cloth once much favoured by Victorian undertakers. The
yellow hued skin wrinkled, as thin lips spread into a
sneering grimace.
‘Greetings, dears, how kind to answer my call so
promptly. Do identify yourselves, your TARDIS seems
familiar but names never were my strong point.’
Peri waited for the Doctor’s reply, her eyes remaining
fixed on the strange apparition. When no reply came she
turned and saw, to her amazement, the Doctor cowering on
his knees at the base of the TARDIS control panel,
trembling and sweating with fear.
‘Doctor, what are you doing?’
‘Shut up, Peri. He mustn’t see me!’
‘Who...?’ Peri dropped down beside the terrified Doctor.
‘What is it? Why are you shivering?’
‘Don’t let him see me!’
‘Doctor...’ Peri started, only to be interrupted by a
booming laugh from the screen.
‘Did I hear "Doctor"? Is it the Doctor I have drawn to
me?’ The laugh became more strident, forcing the Doctor
to thrust his fingers into his ears in panic and close his
eyes, as if he were a frightened child.
‘I’m not here. I’m not here. I’m not here!’ the Doctor
chanted as if the words would form a spell that would
release him from whatever fear had possessed him.
‘Oh, stop it, you big baby!’ Peri cried in exasperation
and jumped to her feet. ‘Who are you?’ she demanded of
the sinister figure on the screen.
Once again the narrow lips parted into a contemptuous
sneer. The voice, deep and mocking, called across the
TARDIS control room.
‘Doctor! You cowardly snivelling little sneak. Stand up
at once!’
With horrified fascination Peri saw her companion haul
himself to his feet like a chastened schoolboy.
‘Sorry,’ the Doctor muttered at the screen.
‘Sorry? Sorry was never enough to pardon such a boy.
Grovelling! Errant!’
‘Sorry, Anzor, sorry even so.’
The cadaverous yellow skull now seemed to dominate
every corner of the control room.
‘Gather yourself, Doctor.’ The voice of Anzor had
developed a grating authority. ‘Collect your inferior wits.
Listen to me. Your TARDIS is to be set into trans-
replicator mode instantly.’
‘I... I...’ the Doctor began to stutter. Then he cried in
fear as Anzor showed a short blue rod with a glowing
orange tip.
‘Remember this, Doctor?’ Anzor’s voice dripped with
oily menace. ‘Must I revive your memory of my
galvanizer?’
‘Yes, I... I... mean no, Anzor; just doing it. Sorry...
sorry!’ His fingers clawed hurriedly at the combination of
switches demanded by Ansor.
Peri stared open-mouthed at the Doctor. She was used
to his asperity, but this abject terror was just too much for
her. On a sudden impulse she turned the switch that
controlled the screen. With a fading roar the image of
Anzor disappeared. Horrified, the Doctor turned on her.
‘You’ve done it now, you have... it wasn’t me, Anzor,
honest, it was Peri!’ As if to mirror Anzor’s rage the
TARDIS began to shake and shudder as if pummelled by a
meteorite storm. Desperately Peri and the Doctor clung to
each other.
‘What’s happened? Doctor? What did I do?’
‘Antagonised Anzor! You’re for it you are, Peri, you
wait. He’ll take his galvanizer to you!’
The vibrations became intolerable. The TARDIS
seemed about to buckle from the forces being exerted on its
structure.
‘We’re being shaken to pieces!’ Peri cried out, holding
her hands to her ears.
‘That’s the trans-replicator mode. Through its use one
TARDIS can replace another in space. Useful for repairs or
obtaining a replacement immediately.’
‘You’re letting that undertaker freak swap with us, just
like that?’
The Doctor looked away, shifting his gaze uneasily.
‘You don’t understand. Anzor will have his reasons.’
‘This Anzor, who is he?’
‘You’ll find out,’ the Doctor said grimly. As if to
emphasize his words the shaking steadied to a low
malevolent ripple of constant movement, as if building for
one final convulsion.
‘Anzor is a Time Lord,’ the Doctor added. ‘The son of a
former council leader. I haven’t seen him for aeons. Back
in my childhood he used to dominate all our lives.’
‘Do you admire him?’
‘No. Not admire exactly.’
‘Fear then?’
‘No. At school, on Gallifrey... the class of the fourth
millennium. Anzor was the... what’s the word?’
‘School bully?’
‘Shush! He might be listening!’
The Doctor’s obvious cowardice provoked Peri’s
fighting spirit. ‘Let him!’ she said and slammed down the
switch to bring back the scanner screen. A dazzling star
field appeared. When their sight adjusted to the screen
they saw. two planets in close proximity to each other.
Poised between the two blue and white worlds was a
spacecraft floating motionless in space.
‘That’s Anzor’s ship?’ Peri pointed.
‘His TARDIS? No.’ Thoughtfully the Doctor tried the
navigational controls. Neither response nor movement
could be detected.
‘I think Anzor has been trapped in a force field –
probably caused by that starship.’
‘They dragged us here then?’
‘No. Only another Time Lord could do that by
activating the distress attraction signal. That’s what pulled
us through space and time: Anzor’s call.’
Peri stared at the Doctor, slowly realizing the
implication of his words.
‘We’re taking his place. Held hostage by that ship. We
stay until we can attract another TARDIS. Great! The last
one stays for evermore!’
‘No. We can’t do that. We can’t attract another
TARDIS. Only Gallifreyan Council ships have that
emergency compulsion facility. Anzor must be on a
mission. Amazing that: I mean, he used to make me do his
navigational homework. Didn’t know his vectors from his
velocities.’
‘A dunce as well as a bully. What a jerk. Why didn’t you
stand up to him, Doctor?’
‘Easy for you. You’re a girl.’ The Doctor grimaced at a
sudden memory. ‘Somebody stood up to him – Cheevah,
his name was. Anzor sealed him in a block of crystal and
dropped him from a great height into the school yard.’
‘Very funny.’ Peri spoke witheringly.
‘We had to pretend it was or get a shock from that orb-
stick of his.’
‘Doctor, get us out of here. I’ve heard enough of this
Anzor creep!’
The Doctor’s face showed his horrified reaction to Peri’s
incautious words.
‘Shush!’ he admonished, looking at the screen as if the
bully might reappear at any moment. Peri pouted – a sure
sign she was at the end of her patience.
‘Creep. Creep. Anzor is a creep!’
In an agony of apprehension the Doctor closed his eyes,
as if waiting for an invisible blow to fall. When nothing
happened Peri nudged him. ‘Nothing’s up, Doc, relax.
Grow up and start thinking about freeing us from limbo.’
With a shake of his shoulders the Doctor tried to thrust
away the memories of past terrors and to concentrate on
the screen. At first his gaze was unsteady, as if he expected
to be confronted again by Anzor; when the star field
remained steady before him he began to concentrate fully
on the motionless spacecraft.
‘I’ve seen that ship. Somewhere. Long time ago or at
least a similar model...’ Adjusting the scanner to a sharper
focus brought an enlarged view of the craft. ‘It’s survived
quite a few flights and battles – look at the repairs... scars...
and the weaponry – they’re firing, Peri.’
‘Who are they firing at?’ said Peri, realizing that the
waves of disturbed vision she was experiencing were due to
the distorting effect of power transference.
‘I don’t know. It must be directed down at the planet
below. Some sort of sonic cannon, I think – certainly a
massive power bombardment. At least it isn’t aimed at us,
not yet. We must get clear, Peri, before they turn their
firepower upon us.’
‘What have I just been saying?’ Peri said with
exasperation, watching the Doctor fiddling with the
controls of the TARDIS without the slightest effect.
‘How are we...?’ she started.
‘To escape? That answer will become absolutely
obvious...’ the Doctor paused, a small gleam of his usual
high spirits returning.
‘... as soon as we can think of it.’
2
Sil lay in his water tank and allowed the tall female palace
servants to pour water slowly over his small, reptilian
body. His green skin glistened as the waters washed over
him, giving a momentary coolness to his parched scales.
The gentle splash of water, and Sil’s contented gurgling,
were the only sounds to be heard in the marbled room.
Multi-coloured silks hung in swathes from the high domed
ceiling, adding to the luxuriance of the place.
Sil’s peaceful enjoyment was broken by a metallic
wheezing, which echoed around the chamber, though no
source could be seen.
‘Ah!’ Sil cried, then smiled and cackled with delight as
the serving women cowered away. An object resembling a
gnarled oak tree began to appear within the chamber.
‘Do not fear, little ones...’ Sil hauled himself up onto the
sitting ledge of his tank. ‘It is only a business acquaintance,
come to call!’ He laughed his manic laugh once more as the
blasted oak progressed through the final stages of its
manifestation.
Up above the temperate world of Magnus the Doctor’s
TARDIS remained caught in the web of the force field
projected by the mysterious spacecraft. Inside the
marooned TARDIS the Doctor and Peri faced each other.
‘Let me get this straight, Doctor, we are now where
what’s-his name, Anzor, was?’
‘Anzor is free of the force field emanating from that
warship. "Warship", why did I say that?’
‘I don’t know. Concentrate, Doctor, don’t you
understand how serious being stuck here is?’
The Doctor shrugged, his thoughts seemingly
elsewhere.
‘There should be a way...’
‘Find it then!’ Peri urged.
The Doctor concentrated his thoughts, his blue eyes
brightening with the effort of finding a solution. After a
minute he slumped and shook his head. ‘No answer that I
can see. What a pity.’
‘Doctor!’ Peri stormed. ‘That undertaker has scrambled
your wits. Don’t give up: think. Think! Where would
Anzor go?’
The Doctor considered. ‘Anywhere. Any place or time
in the universe, but most probably to that blue planet. Yes,
that’s the most likely, if he’s on a council mission, that’s
where he’d go.’
‘Any chance he might deign to rescue us?’
The Doctor shook his head decisively.
‘Oh, no. That isn’t Anzor’s style at all. He won’t care if
we’re marooned for evermore.’
The blasted gnarled tree trunk completed its appearance,
its branches clawing towards the pink dome of the palace
ceiling. Sil, carried by the women attendants, came to rest
before what he hoped would be the entrance to the object.
A panel opened silently and a tall, sombrely dressed figure
stepped from inside the tree, doffing his top hat so that its
purple band could swirl impressively.
‘My dear!’ Sil cried, It’s been ages. Thoros Beta, wasn’t
it?’
‘Probably,’ Anzor said non-committally, his eyes taking
in the opulent furnishings of Sil’s apartment with faint
disapproval of such ostentation.
‘I’ve been waiting many days for your arrival, my dear
Anzor.’
‘Got caught in a force field thrown out by that spaceship
of yours.’
Sil held up his clawlike hands in protest.
‘Mine? Not mine. I own no craft. You look upon a mere
castaway, a humble agent of Amorb. Anzor, you look upon
a creature who needs success as much as his skin wants
water.’ Sil gasped for effect and motioned for his maidens
to splash his person. Dutifully each began to take turns at
ladling the cooling swampwater over him. ‘Ah, Anzor, it is
so excessively temperate here.’
‘You mean hot. Yes, I suppose it is.’ Anzor ran his
forefinger inside the collar of his white shirt, then fussily
arranged the folds of his black silk cravat. Sil’s lips pouted.
His ivy green tongue flicked out to moisten his lips before
continuing his complaint.
‘I must remain simmering here until I can create a
fortune that will reinstate me in the respect of Lord Kiv,
the ruler of my home planet. Still, now you are here that
might become more than a possibility.’
‘I am on Time Lord Council business. I’m told you are
my contact. So tell me what is happening on this world of
Magnus?’
‘All in good time.’ Sil was too wily a campaigner to
allow information to be given away too soon. ‘Let us make
you comfortable. Refresh yourself; then we will talk. I
assure you, Anzor, this planet has many surprises to
impart.’
Sil signed to the tawny skinned servants to cease
bathing him and to attend to Anzor. Dutifully they led the
sombre Time Lord towards a fountain of refreshment that
was gently bubbling in a corner of the marbled room.
Aboard the Doctor’s TARDIS Peri was staring at the
image on the scanner. The Doctor, still oppressed by his
encounter with Anzor, stood listlessly beside her.
‘Why is that ship forcing so much power down to that
world below?’ Peri asked.
‘I don’t know,’ the Doctor said and sighed.
‘I wonder...’ Peri started.
‘What do you wonder?’
‘I wonder why I ever consented to travel with you... or
not travel in this case.’ Suddenly a transformation came
over the Doctor.
‘Just a moment!’ The Doctor pushed the amazed Peri
aside and began to activate the power boost auxiliary
system that linked to the energy faculty of the TARDIS.
The column moved! Simultaneously the screen showed the
mysterious starship moving ever closer to them as the
TARDIS shifted its position in space.
‘Peri, they have been transferring so much power, they
have weakened their hold on us!’ the Doctor said excitedly.
‘But Doctor, we’re drawing closer to them by the second
and that cannon is turning towards us!’
‘Hold on,’ the Doctor yelled as the hexagonal bore of the
sonic cannon centred on them. Peri saw a jagged purple
flash jet towards them as the Doctor performed a desperate
manipulation on the control panel. Peri, braced for the
shattering impact of sonic bombardment, was thrown
instead into the disorientation of TARDIS time
transference.
‘Done it! Just enough power left to break clear into a
quick dematerialization, Peri. Rather cleverly done, don’t
you think?’ The Doctor flicked a speck of cosmic dust
from the sleeve of his multi-coloured coat and beamed at
his companion.
‘Depends on where we find ourselves,’ she replied.
‘Not far forward or back: maybe out in space or on that
blue planet.’ The Doctor paused to check his era co-
ordinates.
‘Midway through, yes, the twenty-third century, your
time, Peri’
‘Not the last decade of the twentieth century?’
‘No. Sorry.’
* * *
The underground caves of the Magnii were shrouded in
their usual dull light, barely illuminating the group of six
male youths who sat cross-legged in the circle necessary for
the practice of mind lock. The quavering eerie music
produced by their trance echoed from the damp walls of
the cavern then was overwhelmed by the more insistent
sound of TARDIS materialization. One by one the boys
opened their eyes then scrambled to their feet, their mood
becoming more and more excited as they watched the
outline of the blue police box become clearer. Vion, the
leader of the group, lifted an exultant arm. ‘At last,’ he
cried. ‘Hold, brothers, hold until our conjuration is
complete.’ With a great effort to contain their excitement
the boys closed ranks, sat down and tried to maintain what
they believed was an apparition brought about by their
psychic powers.
When the Doctor and Peri came from out of the
TARDIS they found themselves facing a group of drably
dressed youngsters sitting, arms linked, eyes closed and in
a state of trance.
Peri looked sideways at the Doctor who raised a finger
to his lips and waited for the boys to realize their presence.
After what seemed an age to Peri one of the boys opened
his eyes and with a gulp of excitement bade the others do
the same. None of the youths spoke. Remaining on their
knees they bowed reverently to the Doctor. Startled, Peri
nudged her companion.
‘What’s...?’ she began. The Doctor grinned.
‘About time I received a fitting welcome, don’t you
think?’
‘Nonsense!’ Peri addressed the worshipping group
before them. ‘Stand up, we’re not gods or anything...’
‘Speak for yourself, Peri...’ the Doctor started to joke,
but was interrupted by a boy seizing his hand and kissing
it repeatedly.
‘Master.’
‘Mother,’ said two others, each taking one of Peri’s
hands.
‘Hey!’ Peri protested.
‘Mother?’ The Doctor smiled.
‘What’s going on?’ Peri demanded, trying to shake her
hands free.
The leader of the boys stepped forward humbly. ‘We
have tried so long; so many times have we stolen away, met
to try and create your presence. Now, when hope had
almost died you come in all your majesty and glory.’
The Doctor looked behind him as if Vion might have
been talking about someone else. He saw no one, then
realized he was expected to reply. ‘Why... er, thank you, er,
you are?’
‘Vion. Leader elect of the Magnii.’ He indicated the
others.
‘Just who do you think we are, Vion?’ Peri asked
quietly.
‘Why, the holder of the revelations.’
‘What revelations?’ Peri blurted out.
Vion looked crestfallen. ‘Please, mother, do not pretend,
not when we have risked our lives in daring to bring you
forth.’
‘No. Peri, no pretence, please.’ The Doctor turned Peri
aside and whispered in passing. ‘Let’s find out what these
revelations are supposed to be, yes?’ Peri nodded, then
noticed a flash of light bobbing down a distant passage.
Vion also saw the light and its approach galvanized him
into urgent activity.
‘Come!’ he said intensely, grabbed Peri by the arm and
pushed her towards another exit from the cave.
‘Here we go again,’ thought Peri, but allowed herself to
be bustled into a gloomy passageway just wide enough to
allow the group of boys, herself and the Doctor to hurry
away into the enclosing darkness.
After a few seconds a middle-aged woman, wearing a white
uniform trimmed with blue edging, entered the cavern.
Shining her torch around it was several moments before
she discovered the TARDIS.
With a cry of fear the nurse retreated hastily back into
the labyrinth of caves that honeycombed the underworld of
the blue planet know as Magnus Epsilon.
3
Sil and Anzor had settled opposite each other in the
apartment of the palace of Zandusia designated for the use
of visiting delegates. Anzor sipped his wine, fiddled with
his galvanizer and considered the babble of plans and
wildly eccentric ambitions with which the Thoros Betan
had bored him for what seemed at least an hour. Finally he
lost patience. ‘Your plans for buying up the universe don’t
concern me, Sil. To me you are nothing more than a
money-grubbing little slug!’
Sil preened himself, then gave a little bob of
appreciation. ‘Why thank you for that compliment. Yes,
one does need allies here on Magnus...’ The little green
slug-like creature cackled at some obscure memory then
continued. ‘It’s a very strange world, indeed, dangerous
especially for males of the human species...’
Anzor’s gloomy features assumed a scowl of distaste. ‘I
am a Time Lord. Human? Perish the thought!’
Sil held up an apologetic hand.
‘Then you might be all right...’
Sil stopped in mid-sentence as the door to his room
opened. A woman entered, tall and imperious, wearing an
emerald green sari of almost transparent silk. At once Sil
became his most ingratiating self.
‘My Mistress Rana! How quickly you responded to my
humble call!’
The Rana’s grey oval eyes ignored Sil and rested upon
Anzor. ‘You are late, Time Lord.’ Her voice was even but
with a certainty of tone that signified the confidence of
unchallenged authority.
Anzor was unimpressed. ‘I am here now,’ he said
insolently then looked beyond the Rana to where other
women dressed in similar fashion had entered.
A ripple of consternation ran through this group at
Anzor’s contempt but the queenly Rana seemed content to
administer only a mild reprimand. ‘You address me as
Rana Zandusia. I am the elected leader of the seven
sisterhoods of Magnus. You will treat me with deference or
your stay will be an extremely short one.’
‘Are there no men with whom I can deal?’ Anzor asked
the Rana, the question abrupt, his tone haughty.
‘No. A few cower underground. On this world only the
female prospers.’
Sil, upset at being ignored in all this, interjected. ‘A
virus that kills, something they term hormonic. Only
women and aliens survive, the great Morgo be thanked for
that!’ Sil laughed, a burst of discordance that disappeared
into his throat like muddy water down a drain.
Anzor shook his head. ‘I have never heard of such a
world before... a virus, you say?’
A slim young woman with large brown eyes and dark
hair flowing down to her waist stepped forward proudly.
‘We are descended from a colonizing unit that came from
third earth. This world of Magnus must have seemed ideal
to our ancestors until, one by one, the men sickened and
died.’
A slight smile played across the generous mouth of Rana
Zandusia.
‘Leaving the women to rule.’
Anzor looked at the woman facing him for a long
moment before, with a shrug of his shoulders, indicating
that it was no great matter to him what gender ruled the
planet. ‘You have applied to the Council of Gallifrey for
permission to incorporate elements of time travel into
defensive weaponry – why?’
‘We believe a neighbouring planet in our system,
Salvak, has discovered an antidote to our atmospheric viral
defences against male invasion. We wish to travel back in
time, invade Salvak and abort their laboratory research.’
Anzor smiled mockingly. ‘We or I?’
Zandusia regarded him coolly. ‘We would prefer that
you act to protect us.’
‘I – a mere male?’
‘They have their place. However, the reason we are so
advanced technologically is because we women do not see
the point of diverting our creative energies into war. But I
must say that if we have to go to war against Salvak, we
will.’
Anzor shook his head with some enjoyment. ‘Request
denied. There can be no exceptions for any world. It is
forbidden to alter history. My job is to prevent time
tampering, to forbid time subversion - not participate in it.’
The Rana frowned. ‘That is your decision?’
‘Yes.’
‘Irrevocable?’
Anzor did not bother to reply. Rana Zandusia motioned
to the slight figure of Jarmaya at her side. The young
woman began to uncover the stone of a large ring on her
right hand.
‘I ask you again, Anzor. Help us,’ the Rana said.
‘You are wasting my time, Madam,’ Anzor replied.
‘Very well. Jarmaya!’
At the sound of her name, the girl turned the back of
her hand away from her and closed her eyes briefly. The
gemstone glowed and light burst forth in a brilliant yellow
beam that transfixed Anzor, instantly freezing him in a
field of arrested energy.
Sil laughed with delight. ‘I predicted he would refuse,
did I not, Rana?’
‘Yes. Now we have his time machine and we have him.
We are grateful for your advice, Sil.’
Sil clutched at his forehead. ‘But how will you open it.
Those TARDIS things are devilish to penetrate.’
Rana Zandusia did not reply at once but walked around
the petrified statue of Anzor caught in mid-gesture.
‘Simple entry into brain memory. We link his brain, if we
can find such a minor object, to a memory osmosynthesis
subject so she can pick up his memory recall. It is not easy,
but it is possible. That is why we have so little crime on
Magnus – because guilt can always be easily established.’
Sil did not like the sound of such a process of memory
investigation. ‘I would not like to have my memory
investigated,’ he said in a voice tinged with some alarm.
Zandusia smiled knowingly. ‘Then remain our ally and
confidant, Sil.’
‘Oh, I will, your Ranaship, I will,’ Sil replied with all the
sincerity he could muster.
The Doctor and Peri groped their way after the small
group of boys led by Vion. The sound of an underground
spring grew louder. Peri thought of drinking sweet water
from a cool stream on a bright summer day; the prospect of
such a treat seemed a long way away. All she could think
about now was to take one step at a time and to wonder
what strange alien world they had found themselves
stranded on this time.
‘Whoops!’ Peri had cannoned into the Doctor, who had
halted at a sign from Vion. ‘Sorry, Doctor, it’s so dark.’
‘Yes.’ The Doctor turned his attention to the boys who
now clustered about them. ‘Why do you children live down
here in darkness?’
Everyone turned towards Vion, who seemed their
spokesman and leader.
‘We have no choice,’ Vion replied. ‘The air on the
surface is deadly to us once it mixes with sunlight.’
‘Yes,’ a smaller boy chipped in, ‘A boy called Gimri,
mad Gimri, went upsides and he turned blue, shrivelled
up, horrible it was.’
‘That’s what they said.’ Vion interrupted.
‘The matrons showed his body.’
‘Listen, Asam, just because you’re scared...’
‘Just don’t expect me to go up there – that’s all!’ Asam
said, his voice rising with fear at the prospect.
‘Keep your voice down, listen...’ Vion paused, listening
to the sound of distant voices ‘Someone’s coming.’
A tremor of alarm ran through the group. ‘The matrons
– they’ve missed us!’ Asam turned accusingly on Vion.
‘You wait. We’ll be down for the long sleep!’
‘Oh, stop whining!’ Vion pushed Asam and the others to
a cleft in the rocks. Fearfully the half dozen boys huddled
down with the Doctor and Peri joining them. The erratic
light from advancing torches danced and flashed across the
dank cavern. The tension became too much for Asam; a
choking cry came from his throat. Swiftly Vion clamped a
hand across the mouth of the frightened youth, trying to
stifle any further outcry. The two boys struggled silently as
the lights advanced towards them.
The Doctor stepped out from their hiding place. ‘Stay
there, all of you,’ he ordered and strolled casually towards
certain discovery.
The flashlights were held by two white-uniformed
women. Taken aback by the appearance of the Doctor the
two matrons halted in shocked surprise.
‘Who...?’ the older matron started.
‘Yes?’ the Doctor replied amiably.
‘Was that you crying?’ the younger woman asked.
‘Yes. Always was a blubberer, can’t stand the dark, you
know.’
‘Who are you?’
‘A visitor.’
‘From Salvak?’
‘What’s that?’
The two matrons glanced at each other.
‘There was a rumour of a landing...’
With mounting interest the Doctor watched the young
matron uncover a large yellow ring with a green stone. A
shimmer of sallow light escaped from the ring.
‘Kill?’ the nurse asked her companion.
‘No. Just to transfix him will be enough.’
‘Just a moment!’ The Doctor yelled as a ghastly yellow
light shone from the ringstone and enveloped him. In less
than a second the Doctor was held frozen in his gesture of
appeal, an instant statue in the centre of the murky
passage.
‘What was the setting?’ the older matron asked of her
junior.
‘A little in excess of sib-stun. Enough to last until the
examiners can decide what to do with him.’
Both women shone their lights on the Doctor,
fascinated by the strange red coat with its patches of
different materials. ‘Strange, seeing a man so mature.’
‘Yes,’ the elder woman said. ‘Well past the twenty years
usually allowed. I’ve never witnessed a male so mature,
have you?’
‘No.’ The young woman shut off her torch. ‘And I don’t
want to see one again.’
‘Nor do I. Let’s get him off to the report station before
the enforfreeze effect fades.’
With much effort each woman lifted one of the Doctor’s
elbows and managed to carry him away.
After a few moments Peri and the boys crawled out into
the passage. Peri realized she had been lying in a pool of
water and that the clammy feeling was not only through
the shock of what she had just witnessed but was also
related to the feel of her sodden clothes.
‘Do you have to live in such a dump? I’m absolutely
soaking!’
‘Lots of water underground now,’ Vion said. ‘It’s part of
the changes.’
‘What changes?’ Peri asked crossly.
Vion shrugged. ‘The changes that go before the
revelations. Surely you know that.’
Peri decided this was hardly the time to reveal that she
had not the faintest idea what Vion was talking about. She
opted to look wise and act decisively.
‘We must follow the Doctor. Save him. Unfreeze him, or
something.’
‘He’s as good as. dead,’ Asam said gloomily. ‘Blue and as
shrivelled as mad Gimri.’
‘Be quiet!’ Peri ordered. To her surprise the boys
became quiet and seemed resigned to following her orders.
With some amazement Peri realized that her role had
changed. She was, for once, of the dominant sex. Here
males were quite used to finding themselves occupying a
secondary rôle. ‘Right, let’s go. Where is this report
station?’
‘We don’t know...’ Asam started, but was interrupted by
Vion.
‘I do. If it is still night up on the surface, I will guide
you to it.’
‘No. No. No!’ the boys exclaimed in unison,
whimpering like puppies separated from their mother.
‘Shut up!’ Vion ordered angrily. ‘All of you. Follow me.
You too, Peri!’
Well, thought Peri, my dominant role sure lasted a long
time, but as Vion was obviously intent on becoming a
leader set to dare the unknown, she hadn’t the heart to
object.
‘OK,’ she said. ‘Lead on, Vion.’
The line of boys and the slight figure of the girl began to
file along the passageway that would lead them towards the
forbidden world above.
4
In the Examining Centre the medium, Ulema, trembled
with the effort of linking in to Anzor’s psyche. A crowd of
interested onlookers waited for a sign that Ulema had
made contact with the mind of the time traveller. Ulema’s
lips moved and formed words that were obviously not from
her thoughts but Anzor’s.
‘Counter thrust, turn, galvanize... Up, return to
Gallifrey, Vector Matrix, Matrix seven over five...!’
‘She has made contact,’ Zandusia said with approval to
Jarmaya, the chief examining officer.
‘Let us hope so.’ Jarmaya leaned forward to whisper to
the medium. Be specific: we need the secrets of time travel
– it is imperative!’
Ulema’s eyelids fluttered but nothing further emerged,
although on her smooth young forehead a slight frown
appeared as her concentration deepened. Jarmaya glanced
apologetically at Rana Zandusia.
‘It is not simple. Alien minds are never easy.’
‘Yes.’ Both women looked from the delicate features of
the medium to Anzor’s ugly, saturnine face. Then
Zandusia started with excitement as Anzor’s words began
to tumble from the mouth of the medium.
‘Seven, six... zed-ess. Equal, EQ squared twice. Rotor
operating time CDE. No time specificate...’
Jarmaya turned to Zandusia. ‘A little more information
extracted from this fool’s mind could give you power to
become mistress of space and time. Should you wish to.’
Zandusia considered the thought, a slight smile
hovering on her wide, full mouth. Then more of Anzor’s
words began to spill from Ulema’s lips and the Rana
turned her attention back to the immediate problem of
finding a means of protecting the future of her planet.
‘Go carefully through that opening and you might get back
into the dorm unseen.’
The boys peered into the darkness indicated by Vion’s
pointing finger. Asam hesitated.
‘What if the other matrons have missed us and are
waiting. What if they notice you are absent?’
‘They won’t. Not if you cover for me.’
‘What if the sun comes up early, Vion. You’ll be
sunsick. Dead,’ Asam continued.
Vion spoke scornfully. ‘What if Magnus breaks open
and swallows us up? "What if, what if," you paralyse me
with the boredom of your "what ifs"!’
Uneasily Asam moved away. ‘You’re acting like the
worst sort of regressor, a mad male.’
Before Vion could reply Peri intervened. ‘Just show me
where I can find the Doctor, Vion, that’s all you need do.’
‘I said I’d take you and I will.’
‘Not at the risk of your life.’
‘I’d dare anything if it led to something not found on
Magnus.’
‘What’s that?’ Peri asked, puzzled by the light of
excitement now alive in Vion’s eyes.
‘Excitement. Adventure. Conflict!’
Asam and the other boys hurriedly backed away from
Vion’s words as if fleeing from a curse. Soon they were lost
in the darkness leaving Peri and Vion alone.
‘Come on, Peri,’ Vion said simply. ‘Let’s go upsides.’
‘Stupid machine!’ Ulema’s voice transmitting Anzor’s
memory sounded loudly inside the chamber of
examination. ‘Give it a big kick. Shake it free... won’t work,
it won’t work!’ The voice became tinged with panic. ‘Force
field. Why? Who? Try the replicator mode. Yes, get some
passing Time Lord to sort it out... the Council can’t blame
me if this piece of junk won’t work. Somebody will pay for
this. I’m going to do... do... what... what...?’
The words trailed away. Perspiration glistened on the
skin of Ulema. Her eyelids trembled then opened. She
stared dully at the examiners. ‘That is all,’ she said in a dull
flat voice. ‘His intellectual capacity is not great. His
technical expertise is limited, his mechanical aptitude is
less than average.’
Jarmaya bent to Ulema, helping the exhausted girl to
raise herself from the couch.
‘Enough, sister, it is a start. You have done well.’ The
Chief Officer’s words were interrupted as the two matrons
dragged in the still immobile figure of the Doctor.
Breathless from their exertions they made their report.
‘Rana, we found this invader. We wondered whether he
might he from Salvak.’ Zandusia examined the Doctor
closely.
‘That is no Salvakian.’
‘Another time traveller?’ Jarmaya suggested.
‘Why would the Council send two? There is a way to
find out...’ Zandusia indicated the medium Ulema.
‘She is exhausted, Rana.’
‘I’m sure she isn’t.’ Zandusia’s voice was firm. Ulema
smiled wanly.
‘I will try, Rana.’ The medium watched dully as the
Doctor, still frozen into stillness, was placed alongside her.
Ulema closed her eyes, lay back, frowned, her eyelids
flickered as if in the realm of dream. She shifted uneasily.
Her eyes opened. She glanced first at the immobile Doctor
on one side of her then at Anzor on the other.
‘Begin,’ Zandusia ordered impatiently.
‘I am ready, Rana,’ Ulema answered dutifully, then
closed her eyes in concentration.
Zandusia watched the medium as she lay back between
the two unconscious Time Lords. The Rana sensed that
unlocking their secrets was vital to the interests of all the
women who populated the planet of Magnus Epsilon.
‘We must find the key to time travel,’ she urged her
companions who waited silently, observing the attempt at
mind probe. ‘Our future depends on it!’
The narrow passageway with its unevenly hewn steps led
up towards the surface. Peri could feel the air wafting
down. To her surprise it seemed warm, aromatic like a
tropical island.
Vion, on a step above her, halted. ‘Best you go first from
here, Peri. Check all is well.’
The girl climbed past him, sweeping aside the , fronds
of vegetation that hung down into the chute, and emerged
onto a flat grassy plain with a heaven of stars gleaming
above in a dark blue sky.
‘How is it?’ Vion’s voice asked anxiously from below.
‘Black as a night should be,’ Peri called down.
‘No sun?’
‘Not a glimmer.’
Vion joined her putting a brave face on his anxiety. He
stood on the surface that had always been forbidden to
him, peering into the darkness.
‘I will lead, Peri,’ he said in a surprisingly manful tone
of voice.
Peri shrugged. ‘OK Vion, just as you like. I’m quite
used to being bossed about by the Doctor.’
Vion stepped past her then pointed at a cluster of lights
in the distance. ‘Come on!’
* * *
‘Is she all right?’ Zandusia asked as all present watched the
medium’s struggle to make mental contact with the
Doctor.
‘Eeny-meeny-miny-mo!’ Ulema suddenly blurted out.
‘Anzor’s TARDIS has to go! But if it does, who will know?’
‘What is this nonsense?’ Zandusia demanded. ‘What has
this to do with anything?’
‘She is tired. I can feel her exhaustion,’ Jarmaya said.
‘She must persevere!’
A chuckle gurgled within Ulema then spilled out in a
tinkle of delighted laughter.
‘Why is she laughing?’ the Rana asked with irritation.
‘Wait...’ Jarmaya replied, watching the medium intently.
Ulema began to speak lightly and with a definite pattern
to her speech that was markedly different from her own.
‘Do you like it in here? I can feel you tip-toeing through
my brain cells. Tickle-tickle. May I join you?’
As if in reply Ulema giggled with enjoyment at the
thought.
‘Stop this!’ the Rana demanded.
‘Please...’ Jarmaya pleaded as Ulema began to speak once
more.
‘The TARDIS. That old thing. Simple principle, really.
Bit like a water ice on a hotplate... oh, no, image only. You
want facts or a formula? Well, given that matter expands to
a ratio of... ah, I see what’s happening. I wonder if the
technique can be reversed?’
The body of the girl suddenly slumped. The pattern of
her speech reverted to what the other examiners recognised
as being her own. ‘So tired...’ Ulema said dully. ‘Zandusia,
planet over-Mother... why does she want more, more,
more! Ambition to be absolute Queen of us all. Power.’
‘Stop this,’ Zandusia ordered. ‘She is being manipulated
by the mind of this fiend!’
‘Fiend? What has she been doing to me? Me, the poor
old lovable Doctor who only wants to enjoy what looks to
be a very pleasant world.’
Jarmaya stared down at the Doctor.
‘He’s awake, revived, he must be aware of what has been
happening to him.’
The steel blue eyes of the Doctor opened and twinkled
mischievously up at her.
‘You’ve guessed. Congratulations.’
As if still linked to the Doctor, Ulema’s eyes also
fluttered open. ‘I... I lost contact. I’m sorry, shall I try
again?’
‘No.’ Zandusia pointed at the unconscious body of
Anzor. ‘We may have enough information to obtain access
to his time ship. Revive him!’
‘Oh, must we?’ the Doctor said in mild protest. ‘It’s
been so quiet and restful up to now.’
Zandusia stared coolly at the Doctor. ‘I have noted your
insolence. Bring both Time Lords to me in my throne
room in one hour.’ Then she turned and walked regally out
of the room, leaving the Doctor to observe the process of
arousing Anzor from the effects of the enforfreeze. The
Doctor’s expression showed some apprehension as a
stimulus pad was activated cn Anzor’s temple, bringing a
sluggish response from the sleeping bully.
Ulema eased herself to her feet and walked unsteadily
towards Jarmaya. ‘He... the Doctor he calls himself,
manipulated my mind... what did I say?’
‘Only a tiny joke. I apologize.’ The Doctor smiled at the
weary young woman. ‘Though what you expressed would
be what your mind truly believes. What you said about the
Rana is what you really think.’
‘What did I say?’ Ulema asked in bewilderment.
‘She’s eager for power,’ the Doctor answered before
Jarmaya could intervene to halt the exchange.
‘No!’ Jarmaya protested. ‘The Rana is elected. She only
wields power because some woman must.’
‘The urge to rule can become compulsive,’ the Doctor
said flatly.
Jarmaya opened her mouth to speak, but her reply was
interrupted by a deep groan from Anzor, who had begun to
surface from the depths of his paralysis.
‘Look at him,’ the Doctor said. ‘Anzor loves power like
boys love breakfast.’
Ulema touched the Doctor’s sleeve. ‘I must have been
very tired to allow a man to best me.’
‘We all have our off days.’
‘That must be it.’
‘Doctor!’ the voice of Anzor roared out menacingly.
‘You are responsible for this effrontery to my person.
Where is my galvanizer stick?’
At the sound of the hated voice the Doctor’s poise began
to desert him. Lurching to his feet Anzor began to advance
on the retreating Doctor. Alarmed at the threat Jarmaya
hastily fired a warning beam from her ring. As it
penetrated Anzor’s cadaverous hide he roared with pain.
‘Ow! Who did that? You, madam?’ Anzor made to raise
a hand in retaliation.
Quickly the Doctor intervened. ‘Don’t upset these
ladies, Anzor. They have access to power and know-ledge I
don’t yet understand.’
‘You coward, Doctor. You may be ready to buckle and
break, but I’m not going to kowtow to a lot of women... ow,
that hurt... ow!’
Jarmaya turned the glowing ring on her index finger
once more towards Anzor who promptly backed away. ‘All
right, madam, you have made your point.’
‘Now will you both act like responsible Time Lords and
make yourself ready for an audience with Rana Zandusia?’
’
Both Time Lords shambled towards the doorway,
reaching the exit simultaneously. A struggle ensued as
both tried to get through the door at the same time.
Jarmaya had to intervene in order to separate the warring
pair.
‘How childish these Time Lords are,’ she observed as
she shepherded them into the corridor that connected the
examining centre with the inner palace of the Rana
Zandusia.
5
Vion and Peri had walked through the darkness towards
the palace of light with its satellite dwellings where
servants and lesser officials were housed.
Vion indicated the main entrance to the courtyard that
seemed to be unguarded. ‘Through there.’ Peri saw the boy
hesitate and glance towards the horizon.
‘Shouldn’t you be leaving now?’ she asked gently.
‘I’ll see you into there if you want.’ Vion indicated the
palace. ‘If that’s where you want to go...’
‘Will that be where the Doctor will have been taken?’
‘Most probably. I’ve heard the matrons talk about the
sisters of science – they work at something called a brain
intersection centre.’
‘That sounds fun. Let’s go...’ Peri walked towards the
entrance of the marble palace that seemed to her to
resemble the grand palaces depicted in old fairy tales, with
soaring towers and domes that contained... what? Only one
way to find out, Peri told herself as she and Vion went
through the open gate and entered the imposing edifice in
which she hoped to find the Doctor.
The ancient oak that was the exterior of Anzor’s TARDIS
resisted the initial attempts at entry, but when Jarmaya’s
ring was unsheathed and pointed at the bully he agreed to
open up without any further fuss. The examiner group
entered the TARDIS and found a control room made
untidy by discarded items of sombre clothing. Zandusia
went to the panel that housed the TARDIS controls. Her
gaze was one of intense excitement. Turning to Jarmaya
she said: ‘Imagine what time travel would mean to us.
Imagine the power for good it would give.’
‘Yes, Rana.’
‘The two Time Lords, they must show us the means of
time travel.’
Jarmaya signed to an attendant to have Anzor and the
Doctor brought in.
‘They will show us, Rana, one way or another,’ said
Jarmaya, turning the ring of power on her finger to the
position of readiness.
The corridor of the palace in which Peri and Vion found
themselves was plushly decorated. Rich carpeting felt soft
and luxurious beneath their feet, and the walls were hung
with tapestries decorated with emblems of wealth and
nobility. The atmosphere seemed calm and peaceful – as if
the palace had an identity of its own that was confident of
its ability to absorb, then repel any intruders.
The muted sound of voices approaching around a corner
made Peri pause. Urgently she whispered to Vion, ‘I’ll
shadow whoever is approaching. You must get back
underground while there is still time.’
‘I don’t want to leave you,’ Vion said bravely.
‘Scram! I don’t want it on my conscience if you get
caught by the sunrise.’
‘You’ll be all right?’
‘Sure I will.’
‘Yes. I keep forgetting you’re a girl.’
Peri pushed him away, then realized that they had
delayed too long. Two attendants in yellow robes rounded
the corner and, after a moment’s surprise, closed in on
them. Vion acted swiftly. Flinging himself at the two
women, he gave Peri enough start for her to pelt around a
corner, putting enough distance between her and the
attendants to make any immediate pursuit pointless.
The two women looked at each other. ‘Who was that
girl, Sib?’ they demanded of Vion.
Vion remained silent.
‘Perhaps you would like a little sunburn, yes?’
Vion said nothing. The attendant smiled cruelly at him.
‘You can go back to the matrons to be put on the sleep list.’
Vion.nodded miserably. He looked down the corridor
with vague thoughts of escape, but realized both attendants
carried ray-sticks.
‘You could tell us about the girl who ran away. Maybe
that would persuade us to recommend a review,’ the other
attendant said reasonably.
‘Her name’s Peri. That’s all I know.’
‘That isn’t enough.’
Vion shrugged, then shook his head.
‘Return him to the matrons?’ the first attendant asked
her companion.
‘Check with control centre.’
Vion was led away, head down and resigned to his fate.
Rana Zandusia looked around at the gathering that had
assembled inside Anzor’s TARDIS. Jarmaya and Ulema
waited respectfully behind her with two attendants holding
ray-sticks in case of disturbance. Sil was greedily taking in
every detail of the control systems, while the two Time
Lords stood glowering at each other. ‘Let us try to travel
through the fabric of time, shall we?’ she said softly.
‘Wait a minute,’ the Doctor said. ‘Anzor can’t drive –
he’s the worst navigator imaginable. You might wish to go
back to primordial slime with him but I don’t.’
‘I wouldn’t tell them anything of importance,’ Anzor
snorted. ‘You’re to blame, Doctor Blabbermouth!’
‘Me!’ the Doctor cried. ‘Who was it let them into the
TARDIS? That’s forbidden, and you know it!’
‘I wanted to save damage to my door, that’s all!’ Anzor
retorted. The two Time Lords glared at each other, the
Doctor slowly overcoming his long held fear of the school
bully.
‘This will sound wonderful in your report back to the
Council of Gallifrey. Lost – one TARDIS.’
‘It isn’t lost yet, Doctor.’
The Doctor continued to stare at Anzor, his voice
strengthening as he realized that the fear he had felt since
his schooldays was no longer necessary.
‘Tell these women, Anzor. Tell them about how your
TARDIS operates and they will give the details to someone
like Sil. He will develop a process of mass production and
bring about wilful distortion of the continuum of time.’
Sil laughed delightedly at such a prospect. Anzor
scowled at the Doctor ferociously. But before he could
reply Rana Zandusia intervened. ‘You also spoke to us,
Doctor, before our brain intersector, Ulema, failed through
lack of concentrated attention.’
Anzor laughed. ‘Blabbed did he? What did he blab
about? Let me see!’ Anzor reached for a printout sheet held
by Ulema, who moved away from his clutching hand.
‘Let him see.’ Zandusia ordered. The sheet was handed
to Anzor, who scanned it rapidly with an expression of
scornful glee.
‘Hah! You accuse me, Doctor, you talk of me... It’s here,
the formula for time travel!’
‘Let me...’ the Doctor stared at the sheet and turned,
with an expression of dismay, to Ulema. ‘How did you
obtain this?’
Ulema smiled with enjoyment. ‘You thought you were
so clever! When I was in your mind I could visualize what
you were suppressing. I recalled it all later after your little
moment of triumph.’
The Doctor bowed in acknowledgement. Sil clapped his
hands, making a wet slapping sound. ‘Let us test the
Doctor’s information!’
An assistant stepped forward, took the print-out and
turned to Rana Zandusia for permission to continue. The
tall ruler nodded almost imperceptibly, and the assistant
began to make a series of adjustments to the settings.
Intent on translating the details of the formula, the young
attendant had placed her ray-stick on the console top and
Anzor saw the opportunity. With a sudden darting
movement he grabbed the stick and fumbled with its
control trigger, sending a searing ray of energy that
narrowly missed the Doctor. Scattering in panic the party
of women retreated through the door of the TARDIS. Only
the Doctor stood his ground. ‘Anzor, please listen to me.’
‘Shut up, Doctor, you are cluttering up my TARDIS!’
‘Anzor, listen!’
‘No. It is your turn to do that. Sorry I can’t administer
the beating you deserve, but when I get back to Gallifrey, I
will blacken your name for all time.’ Anzor began to laugh
with malice and enjoyment.
The Doctor tried to interrupt once more.
‘Please...’
‘Out!’ Anzor gestured with the energy weapon.
The Doctor eyed the ray-stick nervously. Raising his
hands in a gesture of surrender, he backed out of the
TARDIS. The gnarled door panel closed on Anzor’s
gloating face, grinning at him with malicious triumph.
Shaking his head the Doctor turned away as the party of
angry women led by Zandusia and Sil surrounded him.
Before anyone could speak the trumpeting sound of
dematerialization filled the room. Terrified, the women
backed away.
‘What?’ Zandusia cried in fear.
‘TARDIS dematerialization,’ the Doctor said.
‘Then your friend has escaped.’
The Doctor looked around at the distraught faces about
him.
‘Not really. I played a trick – a double bluff. Ulema, I
knew you had registered that formula, taken it from my
mind. Those instructions were designed to take Anzor’s
TARDIS on a very slow ride back to the beginning of time.
I thought that was the best solution, to take Anzor’s
TARDIS out of your reach for ever.’
Ulema was stunned. ‘But Anzor can halt your setting.
He can change course, surely?’
The Doctor looked thoughtfully at the space where the
ancient oak had stood.
‘I doubt it. He’s not a skilled navigator. Ah, well, he can
try bullying molluscs and pterodactyls, or make a study of
mesozoic slime mould,’ the Doctor said cheerfully.
Zandusia regarded the Time Lord with a mixture of
anger and respect.
‘We must watch you closely, Doctor. That was a
complex trap we almost stepped into.’
Sil stared at the Doctor with loathing. ‘He is tricky as a
troupe of monkeys. He should be killed for the treachery
and corruption he has brought to your pure world of
beauty and grace!’
‘He will be consigned to sleep after we locate and reveal
the secrets of his TARDIS,’ Zandusia replied. Sil realised
the truth of this, his anger fading.
‘Of course, Rana, I had forgotten. There must be
another TARDIS, and we know how to enter it, thanks to
Anzor!’
The Doctor smiled blandly. ‘I can’t remember where I
left my TARDIS. Sorry. Anyway its security lock is
different to dear old Anzor’s.’
‘Check where the Matrons found him, and search back
from there. It shouldn’t be far away.’ The Rana’s orders
were crisp and decisive.
The Doctor smiled engagingly and tried to divert the
direction of the search. ‘Unless we travelled many miles
before meeting those child minders of yours.’
The Rana was not to be so easily fooled. ‘We will search
back to the regions of ice, if necessary, Doctor.’
‘Ice regions? I thought Magnus was warm and wet all
over.’
‘No, ice exists in the polar regions.’
‘Oh.’ The Doctor’s brow furrowed.
‘It would save us all a great deal of bother and you,
particularly, a great deal of discomfort if you would tell us
how your time machine operates.’
Maintaining the polite tone of the exchange the Doctor
said: ‘I will not tell you the secrets of time travel.’
Jarmaya, more impetuous than her leader, burst out
vehemently: ‘You will! The peace of our planet depends on
our discovering your secrets!’
The Rana restrained Jarmaya with a light touch. ‘You
see, Doctor, we are already at war. The Salvakian males are
preparing to invade. They have been focusing strange
forces upon our planet causing climatic disturbance.’
‘In what way?’ the Doctor asked sharply.
‘The levels of our oceans rise, our pattern of weather
changes. What was a calm temperate climate is undergoing
unpredictable changes.’
‘Why is this happening? How is this happening?’
Rana shrugged. ‘We don’t know. It seems a surprising
development for the men of Salvak. But who else could it
be?’
‘Mmm. Presumably the ice caps are melting – hence the
change in climate.’
Jarmaya nodded in agreement. ‘We have located definite
heat focus from space.’
‘I did notice a space ship oribiting.’
Zandusia interrupted, her large eyes clouding with
something akin to hatred. ‘That would be the Salvakians.
You see, they must be stopped – you must help us. We have
a paradise, a new Earth here, peace, order, beauty. I will
not let it go down before savage masculine barbarity.’
In answer to the woman’s steely determination the
Doctor mildly replied: ‘Is that necessarily one and the
same thing?’
Fire flared in the green eyes of the Rana. ‘Yes – show me
a world dominated by males and I will show you blood and
fire and war!’
The women present, stirred by their leader’s tone, gave
their support in a chorus of affirmation. Zandusia
continued: ‘By a fortunate chance, God in Her wisdom has
ensured that no male of our species can exist on the surface
of Magnus. I fear the Salvakians may have discovered how
they can survive here. They must be halted by whatever
means necessary!’
‘Except for time subversion, you mean,’ the Doctor
dryly commented.
‘That would save us from turning our powers of
invention to creating the engines of war.’
‘Which would bring fire and blood and war.’
‘It would not be our fault but yours, Doctor. Believe me,
we will fight to the death.’
The Doctor did not reply. Jarmaya, presuming his
silence to mean that he was considering the matter, made
an appeal for help. ‘Help us, Doctor. Save us from the
necessity of such a war.’
‘I cannot,’ the Doctor said. ‘It is forbidden.’
‘Then we must try other methods to gain that
information from you,’ the Rana said, her voice cold with
determination.
6
Peri had wandered through the bewilderingly similar
corridors and apartments of the Rana’s palace, becoming
increasingly uncertain of her direction and purpose. At one
point she had entered a throne room containing an ancient
oak tree. Puzzled, she had circled this, but deduced
nothing from its appearance, little guessing that the Doctor
and the Magnusian women had been inside, together with
Sil and Anzor. Disconsolately, Peri had wandered back
into the palace. Peeping into various rooms she saw only
sleeping servants. Finding no sign of the Doctor or Vion,
Peri decided to leave the palace and return the way she had
travelled in the hope of finding or perhaps even saving
Vion.
In the Zandusia’s throne room the Rana regarded the
surprisingly cheerful Doctor. Sil, annoyed by the Time
Lord’s calm, began to splutter with rage. ‘Why are we
waiting? Waste not an hour. Try torture, anything!’
‘We do not stoop to such methods, Sil. We will all
concentrate our mental power upon him. Then he will
succumb.’
‘What...?’ Sil watched amazed as all but one of the
women closed their eyes and went into a trance-like state.
One attendant stayed watching the Doctor, her force stick
ready to prevent any dash for freedom. The Doctor grinned
at Sil. Then the grin fell away as a wave of power assailed
his mind.
The mental voices of the psychic women urged him to
reveal his secrets of time travel. The furies were at first
threatening, then flattering. Their intellects picked
through his mind, searching for the key to overcome his
resistance.
It would be so easy to say yes they told him in voices
dripping with honeyed persuasion, yes, why not break the one
rule of Gallifrey you have always obeyed.
Always obeyed, always obeyed, the Doctor’s thoughts came
back to them, hanging on to the words as a man clinging
on to the only ledge on a wind-torn cliff face. What, he
thought, if they ever turn this power to hate or coercion?
What if, indeed? the voices asked, then showed him. In
the Doctor’s mind each woman’s intellect became a stab of
terror, expanding, merging into a single beam of primal
fear. There was only one escape. The Doctor fell to the
floor, unconscious, having found the only way to save his
sanity. The circle of women opened their eyes, their mood
angry. Their prey had escaped!
‘Bring him round. Bring him round,’ Sil shrilled.
‘Splash water! Splash water!’
‘Pointless,’ Rana Zandusia replied. ‘If he can escape into
unconsciousness once he can do it again.’
Then Sil remembered something. ‘The girl! That
horrible looking girl. He used to travel with a cheeky
young miss! That is why he was so calm – he expects
rescue!’
An attendant stepped forward, bowed to the Rana.
‘There was a report of a girl wandering the palace without
permission.’
‘Was she captured?’ Zandusia asked.
‘No. She ran away.’
‘We sometimes get girls from the maternity units
straying into the palace grounds,’ Jarmaya said.
‘Investigate this,’ Zandusia ordered. ‘Begin the search
for the TARDIS. Use all patrol personnel. Check any
reports of sightings.’
‘Yes, Rana.’ Jarmaya hurried away.
Sil looked approvingly across the body of the Doctor.
‘At last you act like a leader. You have the ability – now
you must increase your will, Rana.’
The words caught the Rana’s interest.
‘Have you known many leaders, Sil?’
‘Oh, many, many, believe me. But you, Rana, you could
be the greatest of them all.’
‘Subtle, isn’t he?’ said a voice from the floor. Zandusia
and Sil watched as the Doctor sat up then jumped to his
feet. ‘Don’t listen to him, Rana,’ the Doctor said as he
yawned and stretched.
Sil’s voice grated with rage. ‘Why not? Why not!’
‘Why are you here, Sil?’ the Doctor asked.
‘My business.’
‘What is there on Magnus for money mad creatures like
him?’ the Doctor asked.
Before the Rana could reply Sil’s bitterness burst forth.
‘Because I am now a subordinate thanks to you and your
interference in my moneymaking plans for Varos.’
‘Oh, yes...’ the Doctor said with irony. ‘Varos. What a
fun place that was.’
‘Sil,’ the Rana interrupted softly. ‘Tell me of the leaders
you have known.’
Sil thought back through his career as a plenipotentiary
of Thoros Beta. ‘Kings, queens, emperors, governors, blood
royals and some who became royal by taking power.’
‘All Sil’s associates tend to share one thing in common,’
the Doctor quietly interjected.
‘And what is that, Doctor?’ Sil asked.
‘Ending up dead, Sil,’ the Doctor replied.
The beautiful ruler of Magnus Epsilon adjusted her
robes. It was difficult to decide whose words had made the
greater impact. ‘Let us find your TARDIS, Doctor.’ She
turned away, her entourage fluttering about her as they left
the throne room.
Peri had failed to find Vion but had shadowed a matron
hurrying to her night work in the underground dormitory
area where the boys were held captive. From her vantage
point by the dormitory entrance Peri could see, behind a
locked metal grille, rows of narrow beds and on one of
them, Vion sitting up and staring blankly ahead. This side
of the grille another matron sat nodding sleepily, a bunch
of keys laid on a table before her. Peri decided that if the
drowsy matron did fall asleep she would attempt a rescue.
The matron’s head drooped, fell, raised itself, then went
through the whole sequence again. Just as Peri was about
to give the whole attempt up as hopeless she realized that
the matron was asleep.
Carefully Peri edged towards the table and the bunch of
keys that could release Vion from captivity. Step by careful
step she advanced towards the table. Two paces away the
woman stirred. Caught in the open, Peri could hear her
heart thumping up into her throat. She halted, waiting for
the eyes to open, the shout to come, the force stick of the
matron to be raised in anger. But then the head drooped
and Peri could breathe again.
On the other side of the grille Vion had started with
excitement. He had noticed Peri’s progress and now began
to move quietly towards her through the tines of sleeping
boys. Peri closed her hand over the keys and lifted them as
slowly as she dared. A chinking sound caused her a
moment’s heart-stopping alarm, but the matron slept on.
Tiptoeing to the grille Peri tried several keys with-out
success before the lock finally turned. Vion opened the
grille, sliding its cold metal mesh back with great care.
When there was room he slipped through and to Peri’s
consternation headed purposefully for the sleeping matron.
Circling behind her Vion reached down to her belt. With
great delicacy and the skill of a natural pickpocket he
slowly extracted the force stick from the carrying pouch
attached to the matron’s belt. Meanwhile Peri closed the
grille, relocked it and returned the keys to the table in
more or less the same position as before.
Peri and Vion looked momentarily at each other across
the head of the sleeping matron. A sudden snore startled
them into movement. With Vion holding the force stick at
the ready they hurried out of sight. After a moment the
matron woke up, saw nothing amiss and lapsed back into
dreamland.
In the darkness of the underworld passageways Vion and
Peri halted to catch their breath. Vion spoke with some
amazement. ‘Why risk your freedom? I am on their sleep
list. I was to be eliminated, never to wake up again.’
‘Why is that? What have you done that any normal boy
wouldn’t do?’
Vion shook his head. ‘You don’t understand how it is. I
don’t know where you come come from. Where do you
come from?’ He spoke wonderingly, his dark eyes
questioning.
Peri thought of Earth and of the best way to convey the
strange experience of time travel. It seemed a daunting task
so she opted for simplicity. ‘Another world, another time; a
planet where women are mostly treated less well than men.’
Vion shook his head in disbelief but said nothing.
Vion and Peri began to walk at a more leisurely pace,
the teenage boy holding the force stick before him as a
protection against any possible dangers. He began to brood
as they walked along the dark passage. ‘Anyone who shows
signs of what the matrons call overt manhood is weeded
out. Only the docile are allowed to survive for use in the
repro-labs.’
Suddenly the enormity of the forces ranged against him
made Vion quail. ‘Give yourself up, Peri!’ he burst out.
‘Say I forced you to help, they’ll find a place in their world
of women for you. You’re of their kind, they’ll forgive you.’
‘Hey, stop it!’ Peri put an arm around the boy’s
shoulders. ‘Let’s find the Doctor. I couldn’t see him
anywhere in that palace.’
‘Where would he be, the Doctor?’
‘That’s a good question, Vion.’ Peri considered, then
came up with the only thing she could think of. ‘Let’s try
to get back to the TARDIS. Maybe he’ll turn up there.’
‘His manifestation, yes?’ Vion pondered. ‘It’s not that
far and at least I have this to protect you with.’ He
brandished the force stick and with some vigour in his step
set off down the passageway with Peri following more in
hope than with any real expectation of finding the Doctor.
7
The police box was surrounded by a group of attendants,
guards and members of the court of Rana Zandusia. The
Rana and the Doctor stood together; like everyone present
they were watching a girl locksmith testing a number of
different keys on the TARDIS door. When the lock refused
to give way to the various combinations, the Doctor
commented to Zandusia, ‘One TARDIS is not the same as
another.’
The Rana seemed undismayed. ‘We have applied a
calculated variant to each formula, used the Devlin
principle of randomized mathematical probability and
have the most likely key combinations to try... ah!’ The
Rana had noticed the last key the attendant had tried
almost turned the lock.
‘That means nothing,’ the Doctor said, perhaps a trifle
over hastily.
The Rana smiled mockingly. ‘No? We will now work on
that last shape and code signal so that the next batch will
produce the key to all your secrets of time travel, Doctor.’
‘Or not,’ the Doctor said with more confidence than he
was feeling.
‘Tell us now, Doctor. Discovery is inevitable.’
‘Tell them nothing, Doctor!’ Peri’s voice rang out. The
group at the TARDIS swung round to face the force stick
held unwaveringly by Vion.
‘Peri!’ the Doctor called. ‘About time. I wondered where
you had got to. Hardly dared ask, as you can imagine.’
‘I can,’ Peri said, looking at the circle of colourfully
dressed exotic women gathered around the Doctor. ‘Quite a
hen party, hey Doc?’
The Rana began to assert her authority now that the
first shock of surprise had abated. ‘Throw down that stick,
boy, this very moment. I, Rana Zandusia command it!’
Peri saw the force stick waver under the Rana’s
command. The circle of women began to focus their
mental concentration. The Doctor, having felt the power
that could be exerted, moved quickly to avert disaster.
‘Let’s get out of here. Peri, Vion, move!’ Reacting to the
urgency in the Doctor’s voice Peri pushed Vion away in
the direction of the nearest bolt hole.
The Doctor, pausing only to lift the TARDIS keys from
the grasp of the young locksmith, ran after Peri and Vion
and disappeared from the view of the women who
hesitated, waiting for orders.
‘Bring them to me!’ Zandusia yelled with rage, her voice
cracking like a whip. Hastily the attendants began to give
chase, running into the passageway that the Doctor and his
companions had just taken. The light was poor and there
was no sign of the Doctor. Soon the half dozen attendants
came to a division of passageways that veered away into the
darkness. After a slight pause of indecision the pursuers
split into two groups and carried on their hunt for the
three fugitives who had dared to thwart the will of the
Rana Zandusia.
As soon as the corridors were quiet the Doctor dropped
down from a ledge above the fork in the passageways. Peri
followed and helped Vion down in her turn.
‘Useful ledge that, Vion,’ she said.
‘Yes, we know the nooks and crannies around here. It’s
our world, underground.’
‘Let’s get back to the TARDIS and get out of here,’ Peri
urged the Doctor.
The Doctor shook his head. ‘There’ll be some women
left to guard it. No, there are things happening on Magnus
that I neither understand nor like. I need answers to lots of
questions.’
‘You mean revelations.’
‘Revelations?’ the Doctor glanced down at Vion.
‘Yes. You are the chosen ones, aren’t you?’
‘Vion, I don’t know what you mean.’
Vion gazed at the Doctor, his eyes alive with excitement.
‘There is a hope, a legend that once men could live and
work above, that they and women could exist together and
that one day this togetherness would happen again.’
‘Perhaps it will, in time.’
Vion shook his head. ‘You saw the Rana: she hates us
all.’
‘That Amazon Queen?’ Peri asked the Doctor.
‘Yes. She is beginning to enjoy her power a little too
much. We must teach her that co-operation between the
sexes is worth encouraging.’
‘I think moving from here is more pressing, Doctor.
Those women with the nasty force sticks should be on
their way back any time now.’ Peri shivered.
‘Yes. Where are we? East? West?’ the Doctor turned to
Vion.
‘North.’
‘Ah. That’s why it seems cooler.’
‘Yes.’ Vion indicated another smaller tunnel and ducked
down inside. The rocky floor sloped downwards then
opened out a little to allow them to walk without stooping.
The air seemed to have a chill of frost on it. Vion shivered.
‘South of here, where the main cities are, it is warm all of
the time. I saw a book belonging to the matrons once; it
had pictures of white buildings, bright orange flowers
hanging from trees, blue skies and over it all a bright sun
burning down.’ A slight tremor came into the boy’s voice
as he pronounced the fearful word ‘sun’.
‘But the male children are kept here in the north. Why?’
‘Because it’s safer for us to be kept up here. A little
longer night, a little less day.’
‘I see,’ the Doctor said, then walked for a while without
speaking, lost in speculative thought.
‘Brr...’ Peri said, feeling suddenly chilled through her
thin T-shirt. ‘I’m freezing.’
‘How far are we from the ice-cap region, Vion?’ asked
the Doctor.
Vion considered. ‘Not far. I have been this way before,
to where the tunnels turn to solid ice.’
‘Good,’ the Doctor said briskly. ‘Take us there, please.’
‘What!’ Peri could not believe what she was hearing.
‘No one lives there,’ Vion said, equally puzzled.
The Doctor made no reply but continued to walk along
at a fast pace between walls now lined with hoar frost.
Peri tried again. ‘Cold and ice. Who could live there,
Doctor?’
‘Yes. Quite. Who would want to?’
‘Unless they’re crazy.’ Peri almost added Like you. But
there was something in the Doctor’s expression that made
her change her mind.
‘Doctor...’ Vion started, but the Doctor increased his
pace. Vion decided to save his breath as he hurried to keep
up with the purposeful Doctor.
‘Fools, idiots!’
Jarmaya tried to soothe the angry green slug that was
gesticulating and bouncing up and down in his water tank.
‘We only need to recreate the keys. Try them again. This
Doctor can run around till he finds there’s nothing but
frostbite to look forward to. Remember, Sil, we have his
TARDIS.’
‘Yes.’ Sil simmered down a little while Rana Zandusia
issued orders for the TARDIS to be guarded by four armed
attendants.
‘Guard it with your lives!’ Sil could not resist adding.
‘They will.’ Zandusia stared at the irate Sil. ‘We must
talk.’
‘Yes, your Majesty.’
‘Rana.’
‘As yet, Majesty, as yet.’ There was a pause. Zandusia
regarded the Thoros Betan.
‘Sil, I am curious about your purchase of land and
properties. I have meant to ask you. Well?’
‘Er, property?’ Sil looked uneasily up at the Rana. He
had not expected this.
‘Most things come to my attention, Sil.’
‘Well...’ Sil tried to think of a reason to hide the true
purpose of his purchases. ‘I am in the business of making
business wherever I find myself,’ he said rather weakly.
‘Factory space. Commissioning machinery for
manufacturing heavy woollen garments, blankets, heating
appliances, here on Magnus?’
‘You are well informed,’ Sil spluttered.
Zandusia smiled. ‘Yes, but then your foolishness is the
talk of Magnus.’
‘I plan to export, to, er, Salvak, yes, that’s it.’
‘Salvak!’ the Rana scowled at the hated name. Her
expression became fierce with hatred and suspicion.
‘After, after they are defeated, of course.’ Sil babbled
hastily. ‘They are not so fortunate as to climate are they
not?’
‘No. Their planet is not as warm as ours,’ the Rana
laughed. It is warmer. Arid. You have been duped, Sil; who
told you the Salvakians would require heating appliances?’
‘That Time Lord, Anzor.’ Sil looked downcast.
‘You have been fooled, Sil.’
‘Yes, Rana,’ said Sil, trying to look even more upset.
‘Serve you right for not referring your questions to me.’
‘Yes, your Majesty, I will in future. Thank you so very
much.’
Zandusia, now in better humour, smiled and relaxed,
signalling permission for the courtiers to laugh derisively
over Sil’s foolishness. Giggling, Zandusia and her followers
moved away towards the passage that would return them to
the surface.
Sil waited for his woman bearers to lift him so that he,
too, could follow. No one heard him mutter secretly to
himself as the women’s laughter drifted back to him. ‘In
future, did you say, my Lady Zandusia? In future, Madam,
you will crawl to me!’
Then he laughed, and the gurgling sound of mad
humour reverberated throughout the cavern as he was
borne away.
8
The Doctor, Peri and Vion had travelled northwards,
finding the temperature becoming ever colder as they
advanced. Now the walls had turned into the pale blue of
solid ice. Silently they paused to examine the smooth walls
and to survey the widening ice tunnel that loomed ahead of
them. Vion was the first to speak.
‘This is a new excavation. I’m sure the tunnel ended
about here. This ice section is new.’
‘Why is it so large?’ asked Peri, rubbing arms covered in
goose bumps.
‘Yes.’ Vion added. ‘It’s much larger than the rock
passage behind.’
‘Let’s find out,’ the Doctor said and strode down into
the corridor of solid ice.
Hurrying along at speed, trying to keep warm, Peri
became aware of a shifting in the structure of the ice
around them. ‘Doctor, is this safe?’
‘Bit of pressure, that’s all.’
‘I’m freezing.’
‘That’ll be the ice, I expect.’
Before Peri could give a retort there was a loud crack
from directly above them. ‘Let’s go back!’ Peri urged.
‘No, Peri. We must find out what this leads to.’
They followed the curve of the corridor into a hollow
chamber carved from the ice. At the centre of this stood a
large T-shaped device that, although crudely made, had a
profusion of multi-coloured wires running away from
input points. These disappeared into a large tunnel that
had been bored to make an entrance into the ice wall on
the opposite side of the chamber. The Doctor, curious as
always, was the first to approach the waist-high device with
its glowing innards of complex technology. He had time
for only a brief examination of the device before a gasp
from Peri brought his attention to a split in the roof of the
cavern. Almost immediately there was a rumbling sound
and a cascade of ice tumbled down into the chamber
blocking the way ahead. The Doctor returned,
unperturbed, to his examination of the strange device.
‘Doctor!’ Peri was scared of another ice fall.
‘Quiet. I’m trying to concentrate.’
‘Doctor!’ Peri stared at the ceiling of ice bulging above
them.
‘Peri, recognise what this device is?’
‘No.’ Was that crack widening right above them?
‘This is like a nuclear detonator. Primitive but
effective.’
‘You mean we are standing next to an atom bomb!’
‘No. Just the detonator.’
As the Doctor pored over the system of wiring around
the central column he nodded with satisfaction. ‘Yes, an
isotope of lithium set in what must be deuterium tritium.’
He straightened, an expression of consternation appearing
on his face.
‘I can hardly... Oh, no...!’
‘What, Doctor?’
‘This detonator is large enough for a hydrogen bomb of
massive proportions – a bomb big enough perhaps to
destroy all of Magnus!’
‘And us?’
‘Of course!’
‘Who would want to do that?’ Vion asked bewilderedly.
Almost as if in reply there was the sound of crashing
from the direction of the ice fall that had blocked the far
corridor. Then the fallen ice burst apart, and a green shape
began to emerge as the ice splayed and was then thrust
aside with frightening force. Finally the figure broke
through and came lumbering towards them, clumps of ice
falling from his barrel chest.
‘No!’ Peri screamed, seeing the helmeted head.
‘Wh... what is that?’ Vion stuttered as the giant biped
lurched down upon them.
‘Ice Warriors!’ the Doctor cried in realization and held
his head. ‘That space ship out there is the flagship of the
Grand Marshal!’
‘Doctor!’ Peri yelled, but it was too late. Vion managed
to fire a ray from the force stick he carried but the bolt
glanced harmlessly from the Ice Warrior’s armoured chest.
With a backhand blow of its clamped fist the Doctor was
swept aside. Vion began to run away but before Peri could
do likewise she found herself engulfed and lifted by the
massive arm of the Ice Warrior. Screaming and kicking
helplessly Peri saw the monster bend down and with his
free hand strike down at the detonator. With the thud of
contact the device began to emit an eerie crimson glow.
The spill of intermittent light shone fitfully on the
Doctor’s face as he lay unconscious beside the pulsing
detonator.
The Ice Warrior turned and, carrying Peri in his arms,
began to lumber away back into the cold heart of the polar
ice cap.
9
‘Doctor! Doctor!’ Vion had crawled to the unconscious
Time Lord and was desperately trying to revive him.
Finding no response Vion lifted two large lumps of ice and
held a piece on either side of the Doctor’s temples. Almost
immediately there was a response.
‘Uh. Wha..?’
The Doctor smiled up at the young man who peered
down at him anxiously.
‘Must keep a cool head from now on, Vion. I, er, think
I’m cool enough now.’
‘Sorry.’ Vion drew the ice lumps away hurriedly.
‘Thanks.’ The Doctor sat up and looked groggily about
him. ‘Where’s Peri?’
‘That green ice thing took her away with him,’ Vion
said worriedly, wondering why the Doctor seemed to be
ignoring the detonator that was ticking, buzzing and
glowing with increasing intensity.
‘Is the monster from Salvak, Doctor?’
‘No, planet Mars to be precise. A long, long time ago. I
thought they were extinct.’ Still dazed by the blow from
the massive Ice Warrior, the Doctor continued vaguely,
‘What can throwbacks to the ice age want on a warm world
like Magnus?’
Vion did not know. He watched the Doctor haul himself
to his feet using the active detonator as a means of leverage.
The Time Lord swayed slightly, shook his head once more
then added, as an after-thought, ‘Nothing on Magnus for
such creatures except slow sleepy death.’ He glanced
vaguely about him. ‘Peri, which way did she go?’
Vion was searching among the fragments of shattered
ice. He looked up and pointed towards the opening
opposite.
‘Ah. Thank you.’ The Doctor began to wander away.
Vion found the force stick for which he had been
searching and called urgently across the ice cavern.
‘Doctor, shouldn’t we do something about this?’
The Time Lord turned and stared back at the young
man illuminated by the flashing crimson light from the
detonator. ‘Oh, yes, I knew there was something else.’ He
crossed to the detonator and examined the flow of power as
it zig-zagged through the conduits that led to the main
isotopic chamber. To Vion the Doctor seemed to enter a
trance of concentration that lasted a long time. Then, with
a sigh, the Doctor straightened. ‘What a surprise. Quite
advanced technology of its type. Something that can’t be
allowed to function, of course.’ The Doctor pressed a reset
switch and instantly the detonator eased down to a more
quiescent state. The Time Lord strolled away towards the
exit from the chamber.
Vion hurried to join him. Glancing up at the Doctor,
Vion said tentatively, ‘Are you all right?’
‘Oh, yes.’
Vion didn’t press the matter further. With this strangely
eccentric visitor you had no way of knowing whether his
odd behaviour was usual or caused by the fearsome blow
struck by the green-skinned monster who had descended
upon them. Vion kept silent and warily followed the
Doctor as they journeyed further and further into the
passage that must have been bored into the heart of the
polar region by the Ice Warriors.
Vedikael, commander of the Ice Warriors, stood to
attention before a communications unit screen. His right
fist was clenched across to his left shoulder in respectful
salute to the speckled head that filled the screen before
him. The reedy voice of the Grand Marshal floated into the
chamber that had been gouged from the deep ice of the
polar ice face. Other Ice Warriors who had been lumbering
around checking the various monitoring units contained in
the chamber, stiffened to attention at the sound of their
ruler’s voice.
‘Vedikael, are all systems functioning for the required
nuclear experiment?’
‘Yes, Grand Marshal.’ The voice was rasping and had a
wheeze to it. The eyes of Vedikael glowed fanatically, a red
blur behind the protective eye shades set into his helmet.
‘All detonating units are now in a state of armed readiness,
Grand Marshal.’
‘Good.’ On the screen the wizened head nodded. ‘The
orbital position of Magnus Epsilon will be favourable in
one hour’s time. Prepare for maximum power then.’
‘It will be done, Grand Marshall!’
‘Do not fail. The survival of our entire race depends on
the success of your mission.’
‘We will not fail!’
The screen cleared as the link to the Martian space ship
was ended. Vedikael turned to face Skaag, who had been
waiting patiently for the attention of his commander.
‘We have failure in number three detonator,’ Skaag
hissed.
‘Ice fall?’
‘Perhaps.’
‘Check.’ Vedikael paused at the sight of Jarga carrying
what seemed like an Earthling woman in his arms.
‘Let me go you, you...!’ the creature was screaming in its
shrill voice.
Vedikael completed her sentence with a tinge of
pleasure in his throaty voice. ‘Giant. Monster. Reptile?’
‘Yes!’ Peri said defiantly as Jarga lowered her to the
floor.
‘Who is this?’ the commander asked.
‘Found at the edge of the ice-cap tunnels.’
Peri felt the red eyes surveying her. She had to listen
hard to the hissing voice that came from the leader of the
monsters. When she did comprehend the words she
became even more chilled than before.
‘Why bring a human here? Destroy her at once!’
‘Commander,’ Jarga said obediently and made an
adjustment to the weapon that seemed to be built into his
right forearm. The device was levelled at Peri who realized
she had only a fleeting moment to save her life.
‘No. Wait!’ she pleaded.
‘Why wait? You are of no use to us.’ Vedikael spoke
with complete disinterest.
‘I can help you!’ Peri blurted out, desperately sensing
that the aliens were utterly self-seeking.
She was right. Vedikael regarded her with a hint of
interest. ‘How can you help us?’
‘Because I know the routes of the underground
passageways!’
The commander smiled. ‘Soon there will be no need for
us to use them. No need for us to hide underground.’
‘I can help you with the women who rule Magnus!’
‘Those who survive will accept our orders or perish like
you.’ Vedikael motioned to Jarga.
Peri stared at the clumsy hands of her executioner and
plunged into what could be the last gamble of her life.
‘These... these...’ she waggled her long dexterous fingers.
‘Women’s fingers, able to manipulate Magnusian
technology.’
‘We can...’ Jarga began.
‘No, not with those great clumsy things. What are they,
clamps not fingers?’
Vedikael signed to Jarga to delay the despatch of the
shapely girl.
‘You are a trained technological operator?’ he asked.
‘Sure,’ Peri lied. ‘Fully trained, the best. First class
degree in TARDIS technology, UCLA.’
Vedikael hissed ominously. Peri wondered if she had
blundered through too much elaboration. ‘If you are
lying...’ the commander warned.
‘Yeah, sure, I’ll be obliterated.’ Peri shivered as the
weapon arm of the Ice Warrior called Jarga was lowered.
‘Go, examine detonator three,’ the commander ordered.
With a salute Jarga and Skaag lumbered away.
Peri spotted a pile of what looked like hides heaped in a
corner. ‘Hey!’
Vedikael, about to consult a VDU screen turned in
annoyance. ‘You address me as Commander Vedikael if
you ever dare speak to me at all.’
‘Yes...’ Peri’s teeth began to chatter. Her feet felt numb
and dead with cold. She pointed at the skins. ‘Can I... I’m
so cold.’
‘Oh, yes, you creatures cannot enjoy the cold, can you?’
Vedikael mocked the shivering girl.
‘Y-you c-could say!’
‘The ice is our friend.’
‘Please!’
‘Take them. Those who wore those clothes have no
further need for warmth!’ Vedikael laughed harshly
causing the other Ice Warriors to hiss gleefully in unison
from their work stations.
Peri lifted the first tunic. It was fur-lined, but with a
burnt patch in the centre of the back. It was large when she
slipped it on but with rolled-up sleeves it would do. After
searching further through the pile she managed to find a
small pair of leggings that fitted her. Wearing the
protective clothing Peri felt better and turned her thoughts
to the problem of escaping from the alien monsters who
seemed ruthlessly intent on bringing nuclear destruction
to Magnus Epsilon.
Trudging along, Vion wondered if the Doctor would ever
speak again. He sensed that his companion was trying to
come to terms with the extraordinary events and decided
that it was better to remain silent for the moment. The
Time Lord was deep in thought, no doubt turning over the
problem of what the Ice Warriors were doing here.
‘Perhaps...’ said the Doctor when a gasp from Vion
warned him that two giant Ice Warriors were crunching
towards them.
‘Run!’ the Doctor shouted as the leading Ice Warrior
levelled its weapon arm. Skittering on the slippery ice
floor, Vion and the Doctor headed precariously for a bend
in the blue walls of the passage. The tip of Skaag’s sonic
weapon glowed and fired; a wave of invisible energy shot
down the passageway, smashing into the wall of ice beyond
the curve that had saved Vion and the Doctor from certain
death. Groaning in protest at the assault, a crack appeared
in the domed ceiling of the tunnel and slivers of ice began
to fall as the two Ice Warriors lumbered in pursuit of the
Doctor and Vion.
10
Further south, in an underground chamber, the defences
of the Doctor’s TARDIS were about to be breached.
‘This one,’ Rana Zandusia breathed as Jarmaya tried a
further combination key.
‘Yes!’ Zandusia cried exultantly as the TARDIS door
opened silently. Applause, led by Sil, echoed around the
chamber as Zandusia entered the old blue police box.
‘Hurry, me next!’ Sil urged his carriers. Dutifully, the
two attendants carried the excited Sil towards the
TARDIS.
Inside, Zandusia and Jarmaya looked round the interior
of the control room, staring at the inert driving column
and the blank viewing screen.
‘Tell the sisters of science their work may now begin,’
Zandusia ordered.
‘Yes, Rana,’ Jarmaya replied. ‘They know how
important discovering the secrets of time travel is to our
future.’
‘Yes. Yes.’ Sil added gleefully as he joined them. ‘Then
we will be able to market the Doctor’s secrets for fatsi-fatsi
profit! With such ultimate wealth you will be Queen of
Universal Plenty!’
Zandusia remained calm at the prospect. ‘First we must
divert the research of our enemies on Salvak: prevent them
discovering the antidote that will allow them to invade us.
Only then, Sil, may you have the franchise to sell the goods
you wish.’
‘Of course, Rana, of course.’
Sil watched the Rana and her half dozen courtiers
wander away chattering, commenting on the strange inner
world of the TARDIS. Finding himself alone apart from
his bearers Sil could not contain his joy at the prospects
the secrets of time travel would create for someone as
greedy as himself.
‘First, first, what will I do first?’ he asked himself with a
gloating cackle.
‘Yes, oh, yes, I will transport myself ahead in time to the
headquarters of Galactic Lotteries, find out the ten year
billion credit-winning ticket number then send myself
back in time to buy, beg, steal that number. Then, then I
will build a fleet of time-ships and plunder the riches of all
time!’
Driven into a surge of wild joy Sil pressed various
switches before him. At once the cylindrical driving
column responded, rising and falling in flight. Frightened,
Sil gulped in terror and stabbed his stubby fingers at the
switches again. The driving column became inert once
more.
‘What’s happening?’ the voice of Jarmaya demanded.
‘Who was playing with the time controls?’
One of Sil’s attendants pointed an accusing finger at the
squirming Thoros Betan.
‘Nothing happened. I was simply testing to see if the
time machine was functioning. Nothing happened, I’m
sure.’
‘Is everyone unharmed?’ The Rana had joined Jarmaya.
‘Yes, yes,’ Sil assured her. ‘Set fair for handsome profit,
Rana.’
Despite his bluster the women sensed an unease in Sil.
Jarmaya spoke decisively. ‘Let us check outside.’
‘All I did was...’ Sil demonstrated by again touching the
controls before him. This time the viewing screen
activated.
‘Stop!’ Jarmaya yelled at Sil.
‘Look!’ Zandusia pointed at the viewing screen which
showed a desolate landscape of ash-covered gutted
buildings and the rubble of devastation.
‘Where is that?’ Sil asked the group about him.
After a silence Zandusia spoke in a dull tone. ‘I know
the shape of that landscape. That range of mountains, they
are the heights of Bassan.’
A shock of recognition ran through the assembled
women.
‘Then, those fallen buildings...’ Jarmaya started. ‘... are
all that remains of my winter palace.’
Sil started to wriggle with agitation. ‘All I did was... Ah,
this TARDIS is so very hostile to my person?’
‘Shut up!’ Jarmaya snapped at Sil before addressing her
leader. ‘I believe Sil must have moved us forward in time.
What we are seeing out there is how Magnus will appear in
the future.’
The realization brought a horrified reaction from the
Rana. ‘Devastated, blasted, destroyed?’
‘It cannot be too far in the future,’ Sil said. ‘That
column thing hardly lifted at all.’
Rana Zandusia paced back to the wall and turned. ‘So all
will be lost. Everything we have must perish. The men
from Salvak must win. We women must submit or die?’
‘No, Rana.’ Jarmaya hurried to offer comfort to her
ruler. ‘I have worked with our sisters who are exploring
and researching time travel; what we see out there is what
will happen if factors operating now remain unaltered.’
Jarmaya paused. All present hung on her words, seeking
hope that somehow the destruction shown on the screen
might be averted. ‘There must be multi-layers and infinite
combinations of future time possibility,’ Jarmaya
concluded.
Rana Zandusia considered. ‘But for now we are
marooned here. Hours, days, maybe weeks ahead of where
we were only minutes ago?’
‘Yes, Rana. My guess is perhaps only hours ahead.’
The Rana stared at the screen and its unchanging
desolate scene. ‘What can have happened and so quickly?’
she asked Jarmaya, who shook her head in reply then said
slowly, ‘The answer to that must lie during the past few
hours. The catastrophe must have happened then.’
In the ice tunnels the Doctor and Vion had out-distanced
the cumbersome Ice Warriors and reached the site of the
disarmed detonator. A little beyond the device, they
huddled behind a mound of fallen ice and after a short
time peeped over to see Jarga and Skaag bent over the
device, trying to discover why it was no longer working.
The Doctor signed for Vion to circle and return back
the way they had come. They had almost reached the
opening before Skaag glanced up and saw them.
‘There!’ he rasped and began to slog across the chamber
in pursuit, leaving Jarga with the task of reactivating
nuclear detonator number three.
Further north, behind the main control chamber, was a
series of ice grottoes used by the Ice Warriors to store
supplies and prisoners. Accompanied by Craag, a massive
Ice Warrior some eight feet in height, Peri soon found
herself thrust into a small igloo-like space. Another
warrior, Farn, lumbered into view, sonic weapon armed
and ready to fire. The arm relaxed as he saluted the
approach of Craag.
‘Guard the prisoners closely. Detonation is now
imminent,’ Craag ordered hoarsely.
‘Yes, of course!’
Inside the hut Peri became aware that she was not alone.
A low voice sounded. A male voice. A human voice! ‘Sira!
Is it... can it be?’ the voice said.
‘Sira...?’ Peri asked tremulously.
‘Yes, who are you?’ The voice became fierce and
threatening. Peri became aware that there were four others
beside herself in the ice hut. Her eyes strained to bring
detail to the shapes that now loomed towards her.
‘Who are you?’ another voice asked. ‘And why are you
wearing the clothes that belonged to Sira?’
‘I was given them by those, those...’
‘Ice Warriors. You are a prisoner too?’
‘Yes.’ Peri saw a handsome, bearded man, swathed in
animal hides like herself.
‘My name is Ishka; I am sorry if I frightened you. You
have been given the clothing of the woman who
accompanied us on our expedition from Salvak.’
‘Ah.’ Peri understood a little more of the situation.
‘Let me see.’ Another bearded man thrust his face into
hers and regarded her closely. ‘At last we meet a woman of
Magnus. A warrior woman.’
‘Who, me?’ Peri asked, incredulously.
‘On Salvak you women are legend.’
‘You are Salvakians?’
‘Yes. I am Ishka, this Hussa, there Rodan and...’
‘Dabasir,’ a quieter voice said
Peri acknowledged the four men. ‘My name is Peri.’
‘You must think us savages,’ Dabasir said. ‘These
animal skins, beards, they have become necessary for our
survival.’
‘You are part of the invading force?’
Hussa smiled grimly. ‘What remains of it. Our
spacecraft was destroyed by those aliens. A group of us
managed to escape in a recon module, but we were
captured again and brought here to assist in the Ice
Warriors’s plan to destroy Magnus.’
‘How?’ Peri asked, puzzled.
‘Have you not seen their detonators?’
‘Oh, yes, I think so.’
‘They are linked to a network of neutrino-bombs buried
in the ice fields,’ Ishka continued. ‘We are engineers forced
to work on their development of neutrino-boosted nuclear
divisive energy – the two most powerful forces in nature.’
‘But won’t that destroy everything?’
Ishka pulled at his beard. ‘I would have thought so. But
those green devils must plan to survive. Do you know how,
Peri?’
‘I heard them say something about the next hour being
vital for detonation.’
‘The Ice Warriors must have a plan for their own
survival, but they won’t care about ours.’
‘Can you not escape into the underways through the
ice?’ Peri asked.
The Salvakians looked at her.
‘Some of us have tried,’ Hussa said quietly. ‘What
happened?’
‘Scythed down. Including Sira. They must have kept her
clothing.’
Peri remembered the scorch mark in the back of the
tunic she was wearing.
‘I’m sorry, I didn’t know.’
‘She would want you to use it.’ Ishka wiped an eye and
turned away overcome at the memory. Peri wandered to
the doorway.
Instantly Farn hissed ominously from outside, ‘You will
stay inside!’
‘Just wondered when the hot drinks trolley was due to
arrive,’ Peri said with a lightness she was far from feeling.
‘Go back or you will die!’ the monster rasped back at
her.
Peri understood and retreated back into the igloo. Ishka
had regained his composure. ‘Have you no friends,
companions?’ he questioned.
It was Peri’s turn to feel the pain of loss. ‘I don’t know
what happened to them. They must have been crushed,
destroyed by those monsters.’ After this Peri felt hope ebb
away from them all.
Sensing her despair, Ishka said gently, ‘Then there is no
chance of rescue.’ He led Peri gently towards a fur pelt rug
where they all settled into a huddle for warmth. ‘Tell us of
your strange world of Magnus, Peri, during these last
minutes before the Ice Warriors destroy it for ever.’
‘That isn’t going to be easy,’ Peri began, but was
interrupted by movement outside. Crawling towards the
entrance they heard two Ice Warriors speaking in their
husky voices.
‘Have you seen other humans near?’
‘No.’
‘Keep close watch!’
Inside the cell of ice blocks the group looked at each
other. ‘My friends,’ Peri whispered. ‘They must have
survived.’ Her spirits revived. She listened intently to
sounds outside, hearing the heavy crunching footsteps of
Craag leave. Then there was only the hissing breath of
Farn, the sentry posted to prevent their escape. Suddenly
she heard the Warrior move and give an exclamation of
alarm. She took a chance and peeped out of the entrance in
time to see the Doctor and Vion facing the outstretched
weapon arm of the Ice Warrior, Farn. Peri hurled herself at
the giant leg before her. Her impact was small but the
surprise attack caused the beam of force to go off target,
smashing into the ceiling above.
‘Run!’ Peri shouted to the Salvakians who had emerged
from the cell. They all began running away from the irate
Ice Warrior, who had regained his balance and was
preparing to fire again. Zig-zagging and running towards
the Doctor and Vion they were assisted by a sudden fall of
ice that partly blocked the space between Farn and
themselves.
‘Quickly!’ the Doctor called to the Salvakians as Peri
joined him. From the fallen mound of ice they could hear
the Ice Warrior blasting his way through towards them.
‘Detonators... we must disarm,’ Ishka panted.
‘No time,’ the Doctor said. ‘Down here!’
Farn had now smashed his way through the barrier of
ice and was clumping towards them, weapon arm ready to
fire. Using their advantage of speed the group charged
towards a corner that would give them temporary safety.
Half a dozen paces short of this sanctuary Rodan slipped
on the treacherous surface. Ishka turned to help his
companion but already Farn was pointing the sonic
weapon towards them.
‘No!’ the Doctor shouted and pulled Ishka out of the
line of fire. Rodan regained his feet but was too late.
Exposed, he presented an easy target, and the blast of sonic
power devastated him. The force of impact made his body
vibrate for a second before falling, a lifeless doll, features
twisted by the shock of death.
Horrified at the destruction, the group stood transfixed.
Vion was the first to sense the danger. ‘Let’s go!’ he
shouted. ‘He is dead. We’re not. Move quickly, everyone!’
They wrenched their attention from the horror of Rodan’s
death and saw the Ice Warrior thudding towards them.
Without another word they turned and ran for their lives.
11
With some distance gained Ishka recognized a particular
formation in an ice cave. ‘Wait. We are near to Vedikael’s
main control chamber.’
‘Who?’ the Doctor paused. Panting, the others gathered
about them, their breath steaming in the chilled air.
‘Vedikael, the commander of the Ice Warriors.’
‘Ah, yes?’ the Doctor made an effort to recall. ‘Marshal,
Grand Marshal? Is the Grand Marshal here?’ he asked.
The Salvakian leader shook his head. ‘We were hardly
allowed into the main control chamber. We were slave
labour, clearing tunnels of ice falls.’
‘Perhaps we should take a look at their operations
room?’ the Doctor said.
‘Shouldn’t we find a detonator and disarm it?’ Ishka
asked.
‘No time.’ The decisive tone of the Doctor persuaded
Ishka of the urgency of their situation. They moved quietly
through the passage gouged from the ice towards a much
larger chamber which had been hollowed out by the Ice
Warriors. The entrance was unguarded, just a crude
opening wide enough to allow the bulk of the giant aliens
through.
Just as they were about to advance further they were
alerted by a heavy tread from the opposite passage.
Shrinking back out of sight the Doctor and his
companions remained unseen as Craag and Farn went
lumbering into the control chamber.
‘What is being planned in there?’ the Doctor whispered
to Ishka.
‘A massive explosion: accelerated nuclear blast.’
‘To what end?’
‘That we do not understand.’
‘Then we’d better find out.’
‘How?’
‘Let’s take a look.’ The Doctor edged his way along the
cold walls until he reached the opening to the chamber.
Hesitantly the others followed his lead.
Inside the chamber, eight Ice Warriors were attending
to a control centre that linked the detonators to the
neutrino bombs. Each concentrated fully on the
synchronometer that was counting down to a red zone
marked ‘Detonation’. Vedikael, smaller and more agile
than his warriors, patrolled between the monitors tensely,
then paused to check a VDU for a conjunction of orbital
planetary positions.
The setting was an eerie one, with the green, reptilian
aliens standing out starkly against the cold blue of the ice
chamber walls. The technological equipment they were
intent on manipulating gave a surreal quality to these
prehistoric monsters who were about to alter the future of
an entire planet.
Having seen the site of the Ice Warriors power base the
Doctor returned to the others and began to issue
instructions. ‘Vion, that force stick: give it to me.’
‘It’s no good, the armour of the Ice Warriors is too
strong.’
‘But the ice isn’t,’ the Doctor replied, directing a beam
of energy against the outer chamber wall. Slowly the ice
began to melt. ‘We must divert their attention, make an
attempt to damage their ignition circuitry, to gain time
somehow.’ The Doctor passed the force stick to Ishka.
‘Follow the wall twenty paces along. That should bring you
to a spot that lies behind the first monitor. Use the force
stick to break through, then destroy as much of their
technology as you can. I’ll divert them as long as I’m able.
We may be destroyed but at least a world might be saved.’
‘Doctor...’ Peri started, but with a slight smile the
Doctor patted her shoulder then sauntered towards the
entrance to the Ice Warriors’s chamber. They watched him
disappear inside without a pause.
The Doctor’s appearance was instantly noticed. He tried
to remain composed while eight weapon arms swung
towards him. Vedikael moved across the chamber to
confront the intruder. ‘Who are you?’ The strange glowing
eyes surveyed the motley figure. Angry red orbs stared into
impish blue eyes.
‘I am the Doctor.’
‘What is it you want?’
The guttural speech grated on the Doctor’s ears but he
forced himself to be flippant, hoping that by now the force
stick would be carving into the ice, allowing an attack – if
not a rescue. ‘I thought I’d pop in and see what you warrior
chaps were keeping on ice.’ The Doctor smiled blandly.
‘No strangers are allowed here. Kill him!’ The incensed
Vedikael raised his arm to signal execution.
‘Come, come, don’t you Ice Lords learn anything at all?’
said the Doctor rapidly. ‘Look at you, pathetic survivors of
a once great Martian race!’
The arm of Vedikael remained raised. ‘We will be
magnificent once more, with this new planet as our home.
Soon this world will be made perfect for breeding and
hatching. Then our race will rise again from the ashes of
Magnus!’ Croaking noises of excitement supporting
Vedikael came from the assembled Ice Warriors. Beyond
them the Doctor noticed an opening beginning to grow in
the wall of the ice chamber behind the monitoring units.
‘How can a race as stupid as you accomplish anything?’
The Doctor sauntered to a display screen and glanced at it.
‘Nuclear based bombs. How unsubtle.’
‘That is enough, Doctor... Doctor?’ Vedikael paused as
the Doctor saw Ishka’s head emerge from the opening in
the wall of ice. ‘Doctor?’ Vedikael’s eyes glowed with
hatred. ‘You have thwarted the Grand Marshal’s plans
more than once before, have you not?’
‘Yes, that’s right.’
‘Hold your fire.’ Vedikael spoke to his warriors and
stared at the Doctor. ‘I, Vedikael, will deliver you to the
feet of his eminence. When the great one descends, you
will be sacrificed in his honour.’
Stealthily, Ishka, Peri, Vion and the other two
Salvakians entered the chamber. The Doctor smiled up
into the arrogant features of the Martian. ‘I’m afraid
sacrifice doesn’t appeal overmuch, sorry...’ He broke off as
the group led by Ishka launched themselves at the
countdown monitors. Bellowing with rage the Ice Warriors
turned to repel the intruders. A mêlée developed with the
Doctor and his comrades bravely trying to damage and
delay the countdown to nuclear desctruction, dodging
around the clumsy warriors. The great strength of the
creatures was too much, however. Flinging himself out of
Jarga’s path, the Doctor yelled, ‘Retreat, Ishka, retreat. Get
out while you still can!’
A wave of sonic force fired by Skaag destroyed Hussa as
he struck at a VDU panel showing details of planetary
conjunction. The Doctor shouted once more to Ishka as he
evaded a lunge from Jarga, ‘Get out! Everyone!’ Dodging
the clumsy attempts to stop them, the crestfallen group
retreated with the Ice Warriors starting in ponderous
pursuit.
‘Come back!’ the voice of their commander stopped his
warriors in their tracks. ‘You must all assist in here! Repair
any damage. Holocaust detonation is imminent – we must
not miss this time! Repair that first!’ Vedikael pointed to
the monitor that Hussa had damaged. It crackled with
static and the flashes of power discharge as two warriors
began repairs.
* * *
When the Doctor and his companions realized that there
was no pursuit they slowed and halted, panting for breath.
Their mood was one of despair. The Doctor tried to think
of something to raise their spirits. ‘Let us return to the
detonator we discovered. We will disarm that.’ It was not
much to offer but any action was preferable to being
slumped against a wall of ice contemplating imminent
annihilation.
Wearily the group begin to move away from the
chamber where the Ice Warriors were about to bring their
plan to its final solution.
12
Sil waved his short arms at the women who surrounded
him accusingly. ‘I simply...’
‘Yes, yes, you keep gurgling on about it,’ Jarmaya said
acidly, cutting short Sil’s protestations.
‘What exactly did you do, Sil? Try to remember.’
Zandusia spoke calmly.
‘I went...’ Sil hesitated, staring at the knobs, switches,
levers and buttons on the TARDIS control panel before
him. ‘Yes, I...’ he paused again in confusion. ‘No, I...’ With
some bravado he pressed a lever, turned a handle,
depressed a switch. Nothing happened. ‘No, perhaps...’ As
he reached to try again Jarmaya lost patience and went to
remove him bodily from his position at the control panel.
Panicking, Sil grabbed a pair of levers and clung on
terrified at Jarmaya’s anger. As Jarmaya pulled Sil away the
driving column lifted and fell.
‘Stop!’ the Rana yelled.
‘There, there, I’ve done it!’ Sil squealed. ‘These
two levers, these. Now we can return!’ Released from
Jarmaya’s grip he was about to pull the levers again when
Zandusia restrained him.
‘No. No. We will not return. I feel the danger is so great
that we must remain in time ahead of the disaster.’
‘But Rana,’ Jarmaya said.
‘It is too late to avert the destruction. At least this way
we will save our lives.’
‘Are they worth saving?’ Jarmaya gestured at the grim
scene of destruction shown on the screen.
‘That is my decision,’ said the Rana. ‘We stay here for a
further hour.’
The sounds of the ice became more and more ominous,
groaning and cracking above the Doctor and his party. It
was as if the planet of Magnus itself was apprehensive at
the forces about to be unleashed upon it.
‘Wait.’ Ishka pointed to a widening split in the roof and
a powdering of ice descending ahead of them. ‘Let’s try to
get through,’ he urged.
They began to move with alacrity towards the
dangerous section. Before they could reach it the dome of
the passage ahead disintegrated, bringing down an
avalanche of ice that completely sealed the corridor ahead.
Angrily Vion began to dig at the ice.
‘No, Vion.’ The Doctor pulled the boy away from the
hopeless attempt.
‘What can we do?’ Peri asked hopelessly. ‘Their bombs
must be due to explode any minute. We’re going to die,
and without even knowing why.’
‘The Ice Warriors have their own mad logic...’ the
Doctor started, then staggered and slapped his forehead.
‘At last! Yes, at last I understand!’
The others looked at each other in puzzlement while the
Doctor grabbed the force stick from Ishka’s belt and with
grim determination gave his orders. ‘All of you, find a
space, dig in, hide there. I must try to prevent the
detonation at any cost!’
‘Doctor!’ Ishka began but the Doctor had turned and
was running at great speed back towards the cave of the Ice
Warriors. Ishka looked at Peri.
‘He has gone to attack the Ice Warriors single-handedly.
But why take the force stick? It was spent in breaking
through that chamber wall!’
When the Doctor reached the control chamber he found
the Ice Warriors busily intent on the final phase of the
thermonuclear experiment conceived by the evil brain of
their Grand Marshal. The Doctor saw a chronometer
showing one minute to ignition, fifty nine seconds, fifty
eight...
‘Stop, wait, hold!’ The Doctor levelled the force stick at
the nearest monitor.
‘Put away your puny toy, Doctor,’ Vedikael grated as he
and the other Ice Warriors turned to face the Doctor. ‘Put
that stick away, Doctor, it cannot harm us.
‘No, but it can disrupt!’ The Doctor pressed the control
button, but no wave of force came from the empty weapon.
He hurled the stick at the nearest monitor, but it bounced
harmlessly down onto the soiled ice of the chamber floor.
‘Now who is pathetic, Doctor?’ Vedikael sneered and
turned to Skaag. ‘Cover him. If he moves, kill!’
‘Commander,’ Skaag acknowledged and pointed the
weapon on his arm forward with deadly intent. Helplessly
the Time Lord saw the figures of the chronometer dip
below five seconds, then four, three, two, one... and the
world of Magnus seemed to reverse on its axis. A shock
wave of shuddering intensity swept through the
underground chamber. The Doctor was hurled against a
wall. Even the Ice Warriors, with their far greater strength,
stumbled and swayed and lost their bearings in the
holocaust that their neutrino bombs had unleashed.
A second wave struck with such force that even the Ice
Warriors could not maintain their balance. One by one
they toppled to the floor. The turmoil in the chamber, the
shuddering of the walls and the frequent falls of ice gave
the Doctor the chance to crawl away unnoticed by his
captors. His last view of the control chamber was one of
pandemonium, with dazed and fallen Ice Warriors
stumbling around in confusion. Only Commander
Vedikael seemed unaffected. The Martian War Lord raised
his arms in triumph.
‘At last we conquer. At last our race has a home. Now we
can arise and conquer!’
The Doctor crawled slowly along a passage whose walls
were narrowed by icefalls but still just passable.
‘Doctor!’ a familiar voice called to him from behind.
‘Peri?’ The Doctor saw his companion with Vion, Ishka
and Dabasir. Like the Doctor they looked shocked and
surprised to have survived the holocaust unleashed by the
Ice Warriors. A gale of wind hit them, followed by further
gusts which forced them to the ground. There they lay
pinned by the pull of powerful gravitational forces. It was
as if the world of Magnus had been torn from its normal
orbit.
The Doctor tried to raise himself and found the G-
forces had eased their grip. Then the howling icy wind
lessened its force a little. If it was like this underground,
what of the peoples and cities above? The Doctor regained
his feet and tried to help Peri up. His companion was
looking as sickly as a victim of sea sickness.
‘Wh-what’s happened, Doctor?’ she asked faintly.
‘It’s the Ice Warriors,’ the Doctor replied. ‘They wanted
to change the climate of Magnus by altering the orbit of
the planet. That explosion was timed to fling Magnus
further from its sun. The temperature will go down – it’ll
be almost perpetual winter. Ideal for the Ice Warriors but
desperate for everyone else.’
‘These are the revelations, Doctor?’ asked Vion, who
had been helped to his feet by Ishka and Dabasir.
‘In a way. Come on, we must leave this ice warren before
it caves in and we are buried alive.’
Battling against the onrushing wind and with many a
fearful glance at the groaning dome of ice above, they
began their retreat south.
13
Order had been restored in the chamber of the Ice
Warriors. Vedikael and his troops were standing to
attention before a screen that showed the Grand Marshal
addressing them with some approval at the success of their
mission.
‘You have succeeded admirably. Our sightings and
readings show an orbital tilt axial adjustment of 3.4
degrees, which we calculate will cause a climatic change
entirely in our favour.’ A grimace that was the way the
Grand Marshal expressed pleasure briefly contorted his
speckled features. ‘You may prepare this world for my
coming.’
‘Yes, Grand Marshal!’ Vedikael and the rest of the Ice
Warriors saluted in unison, fists slamming into shoulders,
confirming their fanatical commitment to the will of their
leader.
Creaking and rumbling, the corridors of ice became more
and more threatening to the Doctor and his companions as
they travelled back in the direction they hoped would lead
to the rockways and away from the constant danger of
being engulfed by the collapse of the ice tunnels.
‘Are you sure this is the right way, Vion?’ Peri gasped.
‘I’ve lived underground all my life. You develop an
instinct.’
‘I hope it’s working,’ Peri muttered to herself as they
slogged on through the deathly cold, all the while trying to
avoid the chunks of ice that occasionally slammed down
from above.
The medium Ulema had been searching for the Rana and
her court when the chaos of the orbital adjustment had
occurred. Now she was lost, wandering the rockways in the
hope of contacting someone – anyone. She paused, held a
forefinger to either side of her temples and sent a mind
scan ahead. There was something: something or someone
ahead, faint but positive. She set off in the direction of the
source of contact.
Eventually she found herself in a darkened passage.
Lighting her torch rod she shone the beam ahead of her
and saw with surprise that the passage was blocked by a fall
of snow and ice. Puzzled, she approached the barrier,
tested it and confirmed that here the rock finished and the
ice began.
At the same moment, only feet away on the other side of
the ice fall, the Doctor, Peri, Ishka and Dabasir stood
watching Vion close his eyes and carefully place a
forefinger to each temple.
‘I’m sure the rockways start just beyond here,’ Vion
said. ‘There’s something, someone...’
‘How can you know?’ Peri asked, unimpressed.
‘Peri...’ the Doctor admonished.
‘Listen, Peri,’ Vion rejoined. ‘I’m telling you, after this
ice there’s the rockways and some safety!’
‘You’re guessing.’ Peri said crossly. She was cold,
hungry and disliked Vion’s manner of male self-
importance. ‘Typical man,’ she added.
‘She is from Magnus,’ Ishka said. ‘I’d heard their women
were crosspatches.’
‘Can we do something other than talk?’ Peri stamped
her foot, then realized how numb it was with cold.
‘Do stop bickering, Vion, and try your mind scan again,’
the Doctor said. A trifle self-consciously, the young man
closed his eyes, adjusted fingers to temples and lapsed into
concentrated silence.
On the other side of the blocked passageway, Ulema was in
a similar attitude to Vion. Suddenly her eyes opened in
panic at the mind she had located only yards away.
Crouching down she took a force stick from her belt, and
pointed it at the ice mound. She was determined to destroy
as many invaders as she could.
‘Dig!’ said Vion, leading by example and attacking the ice
with his bare hands.
‘Yes!’ Ishka said, clambering up to help the boy. Soon
the others joined him, and the ice began to fly as they
burrowed from up near the roof where, if they were lucky,
the blockage was thinner.
Ulema could hear the male voices, could see the ice
beginning to crumble and fall from near the roof. She
switched off her light rod and waited in the darkness with
her force stick set to inflict maxiumum damage.
‘I’m through!’ Vion shouted. ‘Help me!’
The others scrambled to enlarge the opening at the top
of the ice mound. Soon it was large enough for Ishka to
peer through.
‘Darkness. I can’t...’
‘Let me look.’ Vion stared into the gloom beyond. ‘It is
the rock tunnel. I’ll lead us through.’ As he spoke, the boy
pulled himself through and disappeared from view.
‘It’s all right!’ they heard him call. One by one they
followed his lead, with Peri the last to slide down the slope.
It was fortunate that she was a little behind the rest.
Ulema, thinking the group was complete, switched on her
rod of light and was about to blast the four surprised men
when Peri came sliding down the ice slope and cannonned
into the medium, causing her to drop the force stick. Peri
and Ulema began to struggle for possession of the fallen
weapon.
‘Let me go!’ Ulema cried. ‘They are from Salvak. I must
kill them, it is my duty!’ The struggle was resolved by
Ishka seizing the force stick and training it on Ulema with
every intention of blasting the Magnusian woman.
‘No!’ the Doctor roared. ‘She is our way into the mind
of Magnus. Kill her and we have no hope of reconciling the
women and uniting against the Ice Warriors!’
In answer to this Ulema launched herself at Ishka, who
staggered under the attack of the wildcat. Holding the
kicking and scratching girl at arms length he spoke with
loathing, ‘Are they all like this down here?’
‘She’s one of the quieter ones. Bit of an intellectual, I’d
say,’ the Doctor said.
‘No wonder the Ice Warriors wanted to destroy these
she-devils!’ Ishka shook the girl again.
‘You are the destroyers!’ Ulema spat back at him, eyes
hot with rage and hatred.
The Doctor placed himself between the woman of
Magnus and the man from Salvak. ‘Listen to me, Ulema,
listen! You may enter my mind to find the truth of what
has befallen your world. You may examine my thoughts for
the truth of our intentions.’ Warily the medium quietened
then nodded. The others watched as Ulema and the Time
Lord went into each other’s minds. They stood no more
than a foot apart with their eyes closed.
‘What sorcery is this?’ Ishka muttered to Dabasir.
‘Like minds attract,’ Peri said dryly. ‘They are each as
crazy as the other.’
Ulema began to speak in a low voice, swaying slightly
before the Doctor. ‘Your thoughts confuse and frighten
me, Doctor.’
‘I know exactly how she feels,’ Peri said to Vion,
watching the Doctor and Ulema beginning to emerge from
their psychic contact. The Doctor opened his eyes then
after some seconds, Ulema did the same.
‘Now you know the truth of what I have seen, and you
know of the Ice Warriors.’ Ulema nodded. ‘What I do not
know,’ the Doctor continued, ‘is what has befallen my
TARDIS. Has it been requisitioned, cannibalized,
dissected, destroyed?’
Ulema sighed. ‘I do not know. I have lost contact with
my sisters. I do not understand why. I was searching for
the Rana. I had gone underground to ask the Matrons,
when the world shifted, there was a rushing wind, falling
buildings, fire in the heavens, death, destruction and the
Rana, Jarmaya, all the Court, gone.’ Her long dark hair fell
forward as her head bowed in sadness. She was
unrecognizable now as the tigress of only five minutes
earlier. Peri stepped forward on impulse to comfort her.
‘She’s crying,’ Vion said in wonder to the Doctor.
‘Yes. It helps at times. Come on Ulema, you can weep as
we go along. Lead on, Vion. Guide us back to where I left
my TARDIS.’
‘I’ll try, Doctor,’ Vion said, lighting the rod and walking
into the rockways, leaving the tunnel of ice behind them.
The screen in the TARDIS explored the fallen walls of the
winter palace of Rana Zandusia. With Jarmaya at the
controls the screen showed the extent of the damage to be
less extensive than at first sight, but to those who knew and
had loved the palace the view was heartbreaking. Dust and
the grey overcast atmosphere settled on what appeared to
be a haunted ruin rather than a vibrant centre of power and
government.
The Rana turned away. ‘Stop it. I cannot bear to look
any more.’
‘Wait a moment!’ Sil exclaimed. ‘Something moved.
There!’ Jarmaya moved in and enlarged the picture.
The massive head of an Ice Warrior filled the screen of
the TARDIS. The women shrank away. ‘What devil is that
– a Salvakian?’ a courtier voiced her fear.
‘What else can it be.’ The Rana assumed control. ‘We
must return. We must fight these Salvakian monsters!’
Sil giggled. The Rana frowned angrily. ‘I see nothing to
cause amusement, Sil.’
‘Nervousness, I do assure you,’ said Sil, controlling his
delight at seeing Ice Warriors making themselves at home
on Magnus.
‘Synchronise the return time!’ Zandusia ordered. ‘I wish
to join my people. I would rather die fighting those
monsters than live in this limbo of safety.’
Jarmaya began to make the adjustments to the co-
ordinates that she hoped would return them to the present.
‘It was here you first emerged, Doctor. The caves of the
Magnii.’ Vion indicated the empty cavern.
The Doctor stared at the space where his TARDIS had
been. Quietly he spoke to Ulema. ‘Where might they take
it?’ The medium went into a mind scan then shook her
head. ‘Nothing. There is no message, no reflection of its
energy, nothing.’
‘Almost as if it had never existed,’ the Doctor said
thoughtfully.
‘That would mean we had never existed. Talk sense,
Doctor,’ said Peri.
‘No, Peri. If the Sisters of Science or whatever they call
themselves have been daft enough to tamper with the
TARDIS they could have triggered a time safety jump and
been catapulted into the future. They’ll be waiting for our
time wave to catch them up.’
‘How long into the future?’
‘The TARDIS has a different view of eternity to you or
even I. What it thought of as a safety margin could be five
minutes or even five hundred years.’
‘We could be here on Magnus for five hundred years?’
‘Yes.’ The Doctor began to settle himself on a nearby
rock. ‘May as well make ourselves comfy, don’t you think?’
14
The image of the Grand Marshal came into focus on the
communications unit in the chamber of the Ice Warriors.
‘You have done well.’
The assembled group hissed with pleasure. Vedikael
bowed his acknowledgement of the rare compliment. ‘We
are ready with the second phase: the bombs are primed and
ready.’
‘That will not be necessary. Magnus has been propelled
into perpetual winter.’
The Ice Warriors wheezed with delight as the Grand
Marshal continued. ‘Scans around the planet confirm
social breakdown, famine, cold, but enough native labour
will survive to serve us.’
‘And the radiation factor? Did the neutrino fusion
produce the safety effect we hoped for?’
‘Completely. The dust that now surrounds Magnus is
safe and sufficient to keep the weakened rays of the sun
from heating the surface.’
‘That is wonderful news, Grand Marshal.’
‘When may I descend?’
Vedikael considered. His gaze fell upon the large sonic
burner being readied for use. ‘Very soon. I must re-open
the tunnels and capture survivors. We have patrols out
now.’
‘That is unnecessary. Clear the tunnels by all means, but
we have enough for our army of slaves. Destroy the rest!’
‘Yes, Grand Marshal!’
‘Inform me when this is done.’
The screen went blank. Vedikael turned to Skaag. ‘Have
the ice searing equipment activated. Force its flame down
every tunnel.’
‘The patrols?’
‘Recall them. Then burn everything that moves!’
Everyone in the TARDIS waited for something to happen
in response to Jarmaya’s manipulation of the console
controls. But nothing happened.
‘Stupid oafess!’ squealed Sil.
Annoyed at the failure, Jarmaya turned angrily. ‘Listen,
you slime...’
‘Look!’ Zandusia pointed at the driving column which
rose and fell, then became inert again.
‘I could have become rich during these missing hours,’
Sil grumbled, but stopped as the TARDIS de-materialized
and the image on the viewing screen began to dissolve.
In the cave of the Magnii the Doctor and the others of his
group sat gloomily about. Peri, finding the floor of the
cavern rather unyielding, shifted and stared at something
that she thought was moving in the shadows. ‘Doctor...’
‘Find a softer rock, Peri. Stop complaining.’
‘I thought I saw something move over there.’
‘Where?’
Everyone peered in the direction of Peri’s pointing
finger. Then Peri and the Doctor heard a familiar sound –
the sound of materialization! Soon a familiar blue shape
appeared. Excitedly Vion and Peri hurried to the old police
box. The door opened and Zandusia and Jarmaya stepped
from the TARDIS.
‘Rana!’ Ulema, overjoyed, ran towards the women while
Vion backed away in fear.
‘You are safe!’ Ulema greeted Zandusia.
‘Yes, but Magnus isn’t. Has our world been destroyed,
Ulema?’
‘Yes.’
‘An explosion?’
The Doctor stepped forward. ‘Of massive proportions.’
‘Caused by the men of Salvak!’
Zandusia glared with malice at Ishka and Dabasir.
‘No.’ Ishka stared boldly back at the Rana.
‘Who is this?’ Rana demanded.
‘I am from Salvak.’ There was a pause; the half a dozen
women examined the two men from Salvak with curiosity
and expressions of contempt and loathing.
‘Don’t blame them, they are innocent,’ the Doctor
interrupted the staring contest. ‘Your world has been
attacked by Ice Warriors under the control of their Grand
Marshal.’
‘For what purpose? Ice Warriors, why?’ Zandusia asked.
The Doctor looked around the assembled throng. ‘I
believe their object was not simply destruction but to
change the orbit of Magnus – to cause its axis to wobble.
Your planet is at one of its solstices, I would guess...’
‘That’s right,’ Jarmaya said apprehensively.
The Doctor now had everyone’s attention. ‘I believe the
nuclear explosion has forced Magnus into a new orbit of
maximum ellipse, maybe doubling its distance from your
sun.’
‘So our summer would be, what, shorter?’ Jarmaya
questioned the Doctor.
‘Very. Hardly time for the winter snows to thaw.’
Peri shivered at the thought. ‘Almost perpetual winter!’
‘Yes, Peri, perfect weather for Ice Warriors.’
Peri remembered something she learned at High
School. ‘The Ice Ages. Milankovitchian cycles...?’
Zandusia interrupted with impatience. ‘So we are either
to be destroyed by Ice Warriors or the winter they have
created?’
Sil clapped his hands for attention. ‘I can help with the
weather. I have bought a great number of winter woollies
and stored them safely underground. I should make a cosy
killing now, don’t you think?’ Sil could no longer contain
his delight. His cackling laugh burst forth with demonic
intensity, filling the cave with its discordancy.
* * *
The Ice Warriors Jarga and Farn were exploring the
rockways nearby when they heard the sound of Sil’s mad
laughter. Pausing only to set their weapons in readiness
they began to advance menacingly towards the site of the
maniacal outburst.
‘Be quiet!’ Jarmaya’s scream of rage finally quelled the
Thoros Betan’s mirth.
‘How is it,’ the Rana asked Sil ominously, ‘that you
alone had the foresight to prepare for such a happening?’
‘Luck, my lady. Who can grow rich without it?’ The
laughter gurgled in Sil’s throat uncontrollably then died as
Sil saw a green armoured carapace, a levelled arm, the
glowing tip of a sonic weapon. ‘No!’ he managed to croak
before a force bolt shimmered towards him. ‘Ah!’ he
squealed, ducking down into his water tank. The sonic
shock wave swept over the group, devastating Sil’s
attendants and a screaming courtier.
The women scattered, yelling and crying out in panic.
The Ice Warriors prepared to fire again. Caught in the rush
Peri stumbled, tried to hold her balance, then fell to her
knees in the path of the advancing warriors.
‘Peri!’ The Doctor came back for her and tried to raise
her quickly but it was too late. Farn levelled his gun at Peri
and prepared to fire. Fortunately his last order had been to
guard her, and the slight confusion in the giant biped’s
mind saved her life. Farn gestured with his gun, and Peri
and the Doctor shrank back against a wall.
Hauling himself up in his tank, Sil called across to Farn
and Jarga. ‘I am Sil!’
Farn turned, hissing out, ‘Who?’
Jarga intervened. ‘He is to assist us. Let him live.’ The
Doctor smiled and moved into the cave along with the
watchful Ice Warriors and Peri.
‘Ah, good old Sil, backing both ends against everyone
else as usual.’
Sil chortled. ‘First rule of business – always side with
the winning side. Something you have a marked tendency
not to do, Doctor!’
‘Enough talk,’ Jarga said. ‘Orders are to kill all we find.’
Farn, happy now that the matter had been made clear,
raised his sonic energy weapon and prepared to execute the
Doctor and Peri. Sil clapped delightedly. ‘Fare thee well,
Doctor. No profit in allowing you to live!’ Peri and the
Doctor exchanged last glances. What a way to die, with the
jarring laughter of Sil sounding in their ears. Then his
hilarity ceased abruptly. ‘Aargh! Wait. Stop. Cease
execution!’
Surprised, the Ice Warriors turned to Sil. ‘Where is
Lord Vedikael?’ Sil demanded.
‘I believe he was last at Ice Station Control.’
‘I must join him, and as you have slain my carrying
maidens the Doctor and this revolting creature must carry
me!’
‘Who, me?’ Peri asked.
‘Who else?’ Sil gloated. ‘Are there any other creatures
here more revolting?’
‘Creature? You’d be barred from a cockroach
convention!’
‘Don’t talk to Sil like that, Peri,’ the Doctor said mildly.
‘Show some respect.’
‘Yes, listen to the Doctor, you ugly piece of wenchhood.’
‘No point wasting time,’ the Doctor said, crossing and
making ready to lift the carrying poles attached to Sil’s
water tank.
‘Wait!’ Sil said, suspecting a ruse.
‘Yes?’
‘Give her the heavy end to carry.’
‘Good idea,’ the Doctor agreed.
‘What? I won’t do it!’
‘Stop arguing, Peri, I would welcome a chance to visit
Lord Vedikael at his Ice Station, I really would.’
Although she suspected the Doctor was planning a
desperate throw, her pride was difficult to overcome. Then
Jarga thrust her roughly towards the Thoros Betan. ‘The
heavy end, right,’ said Peri and bent to take a pole in each
hand. With the Doctor leading they began to trundle away.
Carrying the tank was not easy and Sil swayed from side to
side as they tried to adjust their rhythm.
‘Steady, steady! No spillage or you will not be allowed to
bathe my pretty-pretty personage later!’ Sil turned to
regard the sullen Peri. ‘Why is she not smiling over her lot,
Doctor?’
Trudging along with an Ice Warrior clumping ahead
and another behind him the Doctor still tried to keep up a
little banter. ‘Peri has no concept of what it really means to
be your body servant, Sil.’
‘She must learn – and quickly. I order you to learn to
smile while doing the honour of carrying my person.’
‘I’ll try, frog, toad.’
‘Lower order of Savria?’ the Doctor suggested.
‘Oh, yes!’
‘Enough of this flattery,’ Sil said, ‘you slackers!’ The
Thoros Betan began to urge his carriers on by bouncing
forward on his perch.
‘Quickly, quickly, I must meet with Lord Vedikael
soon!’
Outside the boys’ dormitory, Rana Zandusia and the
survivors had gathered for a conference. Unfortunately this
had quickly degenerated into a heated exchange of opinion
between her and Ishka, while a dozen wide-eyed boys
watched in amazement as a male dared to treat a woman as
an equal.
‘I must return to my palace. Only from there can I
communicate with my people. I am Rana here!’
‘Your people are no more, your power is no more. You
are reacting like any woman, with panic and hysteria.’
‘You’d know, would you? What woman could you
possibly know who would speak to you?’
‘I am ruler of Avata, a continent of Salvak, Avatarian
women react just like you.’
‘Like what?’
‘Like a silly Woltrop bird who squawks orders to the
breeze without thought, reason or understanding!’
Listening to this row made Vion chortle. Jarmaya glared
at him before turning her scorn towards the two men from
Salvak. ‘How dare you address the Rana in such terms!’
Jarmaya unsheathed her ring; Zandusia smiled.
‘Take them to savour the air above. Let’s see if their
male insolence survives exposure to our Magnusian
sunshine.’
Ishka snorted in derision. ‘Madam, you need a...’ Ishka
started forward but a force beam quickly enveloped him.
He was halted in mid-stride – temporarily frozen and
inanimate. Dabasir tried to retreat, but received similar
treatment from Jarmaya.
Zandusia turned to a matron. ‘Take these males up to
the surface. Leave them so that the sun may warm their
blood thoroughly.’
‘Did you say sun, Rana?’
‘I did.’
‘There is no sun. Not any more.’ Then she stopped,
shocked at the appearance of a group of Ice Warriors.
Jandaan, second in command to Vedikael, stepped forward
arrogantly.
‘Which of you is called the Rana?’ he rasped.
‘I am.’
‘You are under arrest by order of the Grand Marshal!’
In the control chamber of the Ice Station, Skaag and Gorga
were bent over the controls of the sonic ice burner. Left in
charge by Vedikael, Skaag could not manage to engage the
firing mechanism with his clumsy fingers. ‘Always those
Salvakians helped us with this,’ he said, fumbling and
failing once again. A noise made him look up as Sil,
supported by the Doctor and Peri, bounced in,
accompanied by Farn and Jarga.
Relieved at the sight of the more dexterous Jarga, Skaag
pointed at the ice burner. ‘You must ignite, Jarga, Lord
Vedikael’s order is that we clear all ice tunnels!’
‘It will be done.’ Jarga saluted as Skaag examined Sil.
‘What is this?’
‘My name is Sil. I prepared the way for your conquest in
return for certain business considerations.’
‘I know nothing of this.’
‘Lord Vedikael...’ Sil started.
‘Said nothing of you. Presumably you had served your
purpose.’
Sil did not find the brusque attitude endearing. ‘I
demand to see the Grand Marshal!’ he screamed. ‘I insist
on an audience!’
‘No,’ Skaag’s voice grated with finality.
‘Lord Vedikael... where is he?’ Sil faltered.
‘Gone to the palace. Rana Zandusia has been captured.’
In the ensuing pause Skaag became aware that the
Doctor had quietly drifted to the long cylindrical silvered
metal ice burner and was glancing down at the fuel
propulsion ignition unit. ‘What are you doing?’ hissed
Skaag.
‘Wondering why you cannot get this to work,’ the
Doctor said cheerfully. ‘All you need do is this and this.’
He pressed two tiny switches and depressed a lighted
panel. With a roar the sonic burner blazed into life.
‘Stop!’ Skaag stormed.
‘Sorry!’ The Doctor switched the device off and held his
hands up in innocence.
Skaag considered. He was worried about failing to carry
out the orders of Lord Vedikael. He turned to Jarga, ‘Use
the ice burner at once.’ He turned to salute another four
Ice Warriors as they marched into the cave. ‘We must
prepare to leave the ice station and travel to the palace.
There we will make ready for the descent of the Grand
Marshal.’ All the warriors saluted.
‘What of these?’ Farn indicated the Doctor, Peri and Sil.
The trio saw the massive helmeted head of Skaag turn,
then felt the glowing red eyes examine them each in turn.
‘The last order I had was that no further slaves are
needed. Kill them!’
The Doctor acted instantly. He reached down, rapidly
ignited the ice burner and with a yell for Peri to ‘Duck!’
turned the searing force on to the Ice Warriors as they
thudded towards him. Skaag was the first to be caught in
the ray of incandescence. With a guttural cry he
shimmered and croaked with shock, then slumped to the
ground with a heavy crash.
Grimly the Doctor turned the sonic burner on the other
warriors. Helpless before the shattering assault, they
succumbed to the waves of force. Only Jarga escaped.
Backed into a corner he aimed his weapon arm at the
Doctor, who struggled to pull the weight of the ice burner
around to aim at the last remaining Ice Warrior.
It was Peri who made the decisive move. Scooping water
from Sil’s tank she threw it at Jarga’s vizor. The moment it
took for the alien to clear his vision was all the time needed
to bring the burner to bear. As Jarga lumbered across the
chamber the Doctor released the sonic power for the last
time.
The mighty green biped staggered, raised his arm and
lurched against Sil’s water tank, overturning its terrified
occupant. Then he fell face forward onto the floor. The
giant lungs fought for one last wheezing breath, then
failed. The giant frame shuddered, then became still.
Shaken by the violence, Peri and the Doctor met in the
centre of the ice station. There, in the silence, among the
fallen Ice Warriors, they became aware not only of the
sounds of the machines and communications units, but
also a familiar plaintive voice.
‘Help!’ it said, ‘I have not got immersion. Doctor, dear
Peri, please!’
The Doctor and Peri looked at each other while Sil
thrashed helplessly on the floor of ice. ‘Let’s be
magnanimous,’ the Doctor said.
‘Must we?’
‘Oh, yes.’
Gingerly Peri helped lift Sil back onto his perch while
the Doctor placed lumps of ice in Sil’s tank to replenish
the fluid.
‘What now, Doctor?’ Peri asked.
‘We must find a way to restore the status quo.’
‘What is that?’ Sil asked suspiciously.
‘The way things were.’
‘Sil’s hardly interested in that,’ said Peri, observing the
scowling features of the Thors Betan.
‘I have been betrayed. The Ice Warriors, as you heard,
have reneged on my contracts and franchises.’
‘Yes, they would do that.’ The Doctor was wandering
from one unit to another, staring intently at each and
scribbling in a notebook.
‘No wonder they are not on the inter-galactic business
registers,’ Sil snarled, then brooded a little more before
announcing, ‘All deals are off. I wish to be revenged.’
‘Oh, how?’ Peri asked.
‘I know a lot about their plans,’ said Sil, darkly.
Across the chamber the Doctor turned from a display
screen. ‘Many of these units are linked to the ignition
circuits of an unused chain of neutrino bombs.’
‘Yes, yes. The Ice Warriors kept explosives in reserve in
case they needed to manoeuvre the planet further if the
first attempt proved unsuccessful.’
The Doctor stared at Sil, then turned back to the display
units. After consulting his notebook, he settled himself
before a screen showing details of the orbital ellipse of
Magnus.
‘What is it, Doctor?’ Sil asked.
‘You may have given me an idea, Sil. Thank you.’
‘Oh, really?’ Sil preened himself. ‘Well, Doctor, Peri,
what are friends for but to help each other in times of
need?’
Peri shook her head, then smiled. Then she laughed.
There was no other way to deal with Sil and the situation.
Sil joined in uneasily, but the Doctor paid no attention to
them. He was adjusting and co-ordinating the various
systems. A chronometer glowed into life above the master
detonation unit. It read two minutes to ingition. Then one
minute fifty-nine...
15
A phalanx of Ice Warriors with Lord Vedikael at their
head stood in the courtyard of the palace. With a cruel
smile the War Lord watched the Rana and what remained
of her court being escorted through the fallen slabs of
masonry that littered the courtyard. For the first time the
Rana had lost her poise. The damage to her palace, the cold
grey swirling mist that filled the courtyard and the
menacing ranks of Ice Warriors made Rana Zandusia
afraid for the first time in her life. Together with Jarmaya
she was thrust before Vedikael.
After a pause the harsh voice sounded on the cold air.
‘Soon the Grand Marshal will be here to place his heel to
your throats, after which you will, of course, be executed in
his honour. Your bodies will be displayed to what remains
of your people.’
A distant rumble sounded and the ground began to
tremble under their feet. The ranks of Ice Warriors swayed
but did not break. Vedikael tried to continue.
‘You will...’
He was stopped by a massive explosion from the far ice
fields that brought everyone to their knees. With the shock
of its reverberation the Ice Warriors crawled and struggled
to regain their balance as a cyclone hit the palace,
smashing into buildings and scattering Ice Warriors and
women alike with its primeval force.
At the Ice Station the wind howled on and on with
increasing intensity. In the control chamber the Doctor
and Peri clung to each other under the grip of the forces
exerted by the orbital adjustment.
‘Will it work, Doctor?’ Sil shouted from nearby.
The Doctor battled against the force of the gale that was
swirling within the chamber and pulled himself up against
a monitor. It took all his strength to haul himself up to the
screen. Once there he peered down at the orbital
conjunction. ‘I can’t tell if we are moving back. I’m not
sure if Magnus was still in solstice!’
The wind began to drop. The forces bearing upon them
started to lessen as the planet slowed.
Is Magnus back in its original orbit?’
‘I can’t say.’ The Doctor had just realized that the screen
he had been watching was no longer functioning and that
the remainder of the instrument panels had also gone dead.
The power had failed, probably damaged by the last
holocaust.
‘Have we succeeded, Doctor?’
The Time Lord sighed. ‘I don’t know, Peri. Either I’ve
restored the orbit or made a death trap for everyone but the
Ice Warriors.’
Peri stared at the Doctor. She realized that for once he
was not being flippant – he really did not know whether he
had succeeded or failed disastrously. ‘Doctor...’ she started,
but was interrupted by the voice of an Ice Warrior that
hissed from the doorway.
‘You will make yourselves ready to travel with us.’
They saw other warriors outside in the passage and
knew that this time there could be no escape.
‘Bring them to me!’ Vedikael’s voice grated harshly as the
Ice Warriors regrouped and herded the women who had
survived the second holocaust. Vedikael had recovered his
certainty as once more the Rana and Jarmaya stood before
him. ‘Investigations are taking place to decide whether the
Grand Marshal should land yet. If you think this means a
temporary reprieve I must disappoint you. My orders are to
proceed with the extermination of all enemies.’
The Rana saw the two Salvakian men led into the
courtyard. Ishka bowed to the Rana who did not know how
she should react. She found herself strangely disturbed
about the fate of the burly man from Slavak.
‘Doctor!’ Vedikael turned slowly to greet the Doctor,
Peri and Sil, who was perched precariously on the shoulder
of an Ice Warrior.
‘Lord Vedikael!’ Sil called plaintively. ‘We had an
agreement, a contract.’
Vedikael croaked in derision. ‘We are the masters. No
agreements need be honoured.’
Sil took in the scene, saw Ice Warriors shepherding all
the survivors to a wall that bounded the palace courtyard.
‘What... what is to happen here?’
‘A little custom we have with conquered races.’ Vedikael
paused. His voice did not seem to carry as strongly as
before, but with an effort he continued. ‘You, Sil are not to
be trusted: you know far too much. You must, must join
the rest for execution.’
Howling his protests Sil was carried away by his Ice
Warrior, who deposited him and his tank with the Rana,
Jarmaya, Ulema, the two men from Salvak, Vion, Peri and
the Doctor. Grimly the group watched the firing squad
assemble before them. The squad of twenty Ice Warriors
slowly formed a line with Vedikael plodding across to
stand at one end, ready to give the signal for the mass
execution.
‘Why are they taking so long, Doctor?’
‘Maybe just spinning it out for their own pleasure.’ But
now their time had run out. All the Ice Warriors were
finally in position.
‘Alert,’ Vedikael’s harsh voice croaked out. Then, after a
pause, the Ice Warriors raised their weapons arms. ‘Aim,’
the War Lord wheezed, panting for breath. Steeling
themselves against the sonic blast the condemned waited
for a long agonising moment. Then they gazed in
astonishment as first one, then another, Ice Warrior
crashed to the ground. A ray of sunlight penetrated the
grey mist that hung over the palace.
‘The heat, the climate: it’s returning to its normal
temperature!’ Peri exulted as warm air, deadly to the Ice
Warriors, wreaked havoc upon the giant aliens. One by one
they staggered, gasping for breath, before expiring.
Vedikael was the last survivor. ‘No surrender,’ he gasped
as the Rana hurried towards him. He collapsed at her feet,
dead.
In the confusion and rejoicing the Doctor came upon
Vion, hunched in a corner crying as the sunlight dispelled
the last traces of mist. ‘What is it, Vion?’
‘I don’t want to die, Doctor.’
‘Why should you?’
‘The sunlight...’
‘Don’t worry about that,’ Ishka and Dabasir joined
them. ‘We have an antidote. Enough to protect you until
further supplies arrive.’
‘Yes,’ the Doctor said thoughtfully. ‘The frosts of the
orbital change may have killed the virus anyway.’
‘We will see,’ said Ishka as the Rana and Jarmaya
arrived.
‘See what?’
‘How much vaccine to bring in from Salvak, Madam.’
Ishka grinned at her.
The Rana frowned. ‘You will bring in nothing. We will
mobilize. We will fight. We will never submit!’
Ishka stroked his beard. ‘How will you fight? With
what? Your society is in disarray – it’s ruined. You will
need our aid to rebuild. I will offer my services now.’
‘As what?’
Ishka shrugged, nodded and smiled. ‘Isn’t it obvious
what I would be to you?’
‘No, what?’
‘A husband.’
Zandusia and Jarmaya glanced at each other blankly.
‘What is "husband"?’ Zandusia asked.
A great laughter came from the two men, then they
grinned at the women before them. ‘You will learn, ladies!’
Ishka said. He and Dabasir guffawed again:
‘Ulema!’ Rana Zandusia beckoned the medium to her.
‘Tell us what this fool has in his mind regarding the word
"husband".’
Ulema closed her eyes and then, after some moments,
gave a scream of horror. Quickly Jarmaya and the Rana
began to comfort her.
‘What did you find?’ Jarmaya asked. Ulema began to
whisper what she had found in the thoughts of the two
men from Salvak. ‘No!’ cried Jarmaya, looking sideways at
Dabasir.
‘Never!’ swore Zandusia, glaring at Ishka.
A furious exchange then broke out between the two
couples, watched by Sil who was thinking that Magnus
might be a profitable place to invest in matrimonial and
baby goods in the near future. He turned to offer the
Doctor a partnership, but the Doctor and Peri had decided
to leave Magnus to the women and men who would create
its future.
A little later the Doctor and Peri stood in the control room
of the TARDIS. The Doctor glanced at Peri, who nodded.
He touched the flight controls and the driving column
began to rise and fall.
In the cave of the Magnii, unobserved by anyone, the old
police box faded into the darkness.
Document Outline
- Front cover
- Rear cover
- Title page
- Copyright
- Contents
- Chapter One
- Chapter Two
- Chapter Three
- Chapter Four
- Chapter Five
- Chapter Six
- Chapter Seven
- Chapter Eight
- Chapter Nine
- Chapter Ten
- Chapter Eleven
- Chapter Twelve
- Chapter Thirteen
- Chapter Fourteen
- Chapter Fifteen
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